


As good as it gets

by 1337wtfomgbby



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Idiots in Love, M/M, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, alternate everything, currently straightening out those chapters, no beta we die like men, only beta I have is google translate, still have no beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:15:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 60
Words: 63,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24289561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1337wtfomgbby/pseuds/1337wtfomgbby
Summary: About all the things Hardcase and Kix said to each other throughout their relationship
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | Echo/ CT-782 Hevy, CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555/CT-5597 | Jesse, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Hardcase/CT-6116 | Kix
Comments: 15
Kudos: 57





	1. Things you said at 1am...

**Author's Note:**

> Found a 60 "things you said"-challenge on tumblr and I really need something to occupie myself, since this quarantine has me a bit stirr crazy.  
> And now I'm also sick with tonsillitis, so we'll see how this'll work.

It was 1 am in the freking morning and Hardcase should be asleep. He had been asleep in fact, had just gotten up to get some water, that was when he had noticed that sleep seemed to be eluding Kix.  
He was still sat at his bunk, backpack in front of him, but he didn't seem to be doing inventory but rather looking for something to buisy himself, and despite looking like he desperately needed a full nights rest.   
There were dark circles under his eyes, that looked more like he had been hit, and he seemed paler and slumped more so then usual.

"What are you doing?" Hardcase asked as he sat down in front of Kix' backpack, facing the medic.  
Kix looked up, and seemed shocked for a second to see him.  
"Huh?"  
"What are you doing," Hardcase repeated, nodding at the backpack.  
Kix looked from Hardcase's face to his backpack and back up again, before he shook his head.  
"I don't know."

Hardcase huffed a sigh and massaged his forehead. "It's 1 am Kix, why are you still up?"  
Kix shrugged, but under Hardcase's scrutinizing stare he did finally crumble.  
"They are all screaming inside my head," he said, so quietly that Hardcase almost didn't hear him.  
And he didn't need to ask who Kix was talking about that was screaming, Hardcase had heard Kix mutter in his sleep more often then he liked to count.

"Maybe I could stay with you," Hardcase offered, "might keep them quiet."  
Kix' expression didn't seem convinced but after a moments consideration he nodded.

So they layed down together in Kix' bunk bed, leaving the backpack open and forgotten at the base of it. Kix didn't say a thing while he motioned for Hardcase to lay on his back, before flopping down on top of him.  
He pressed the side of his head to Hardcase's chest, so that his ear was resting just where his heart was, and he could listen to Hardcase's heartbeat.

After a moment Hardcase lifted his hand, resting it on Kix' back, before starting to stroke up and down soothingly.  
Layed on his stomach as Kix was, Hardcase could feel how his breathing started to even out.

Other nights Kix would be moving around his bunk or at least twitching a arm or a leg, but right now he was just still.  
Hardcase raised his head, peering at Kix' face, or at least what he could make out of it, and saw that Kix had his eyes closed and mouth slightly open as he snored softly against the fabric of Hardcase's bodysuit.

Sometimes silence spoke louder then a thousand words, Hardcase mused.  
He hummed contentedly under his breath, before closing his eyes as well. Under Kix' comforting, warm weight Hardcase slipped into sleep almost instantly.


	2. Things you said through your teeth...

It had been over two hours. Two hours Dogma had been stuck in this damn cave in, with Kix who wasn't in good shape at all.  
He had managed to stem the superficial bleeding, but by now Dogma was pretty sure Kix must've suffered some kind of internal injury, as he wasn't looking good at all.

Dogma flinched as a rock fell, somewhere in the caves. He had been listening to them fall, since they had started to an hour ago.  
Dogma didn't knew what was causing it, as the integrity of the cave roof and walls still looked about right, so it couldn't be another cave in.

"What's getting you this spooked," Kix asked, and the rasp of his voice had Dogma jump again.  
"Those damn falling rocks," Dogma said. He watched as Kix listened closely and then nodded as there was a sound of another rock falling.

"What do you think is going on?" Dogma asked, as another rock fell, followed by another.  
He wasn't sure, but he thought he could hear a rhythm in the rocks falling, or was he just going crazy.  
He had been forcing Kix to drink from his canteen after all, and therefore hadn't had that much water himself.  
Plus, he had hit his head pretty good during the cavein as well.

"Tze jenaf," Kix said, and dogma sighed.  
Kix had been randomly switching from basic to zabrak and back again since about half an hour now. Dogma didn't knew much zabrak, so he pretty much had no idea what the medic was saying at times.

But whatever he said didn't matter, in wake of the wall to their side suddenly collapsing partially to reveal a hole.  
Dogma stumbled back at the sudden rush of rocks, dust and air and stared at the helmet of a clone trooper that was revealed behind it in muted shock.

"Are you okay," the trooper asked, and as the dust settled Dogma could recognize the markings on his helmet.  
"I am okay," he said, as he helped Hardcase pull himself through the hole he had evidently duck into the rubble himself.

"How is he?" Hardcase asked, croaching down next to Kix while pulling the medic's backpack closer.  
"Not doing too good," Dogma reported, croaching down next to Hardcase, "he's been out of it for about half an hour now."  
"The pain?"  
"I didn't want to give him anymore medication," Dogma admitted, "couldn't remember how much'd be too much."

Hardcase nodded, and Dogma watched him reach out and carefully shake Kix, until the medic blinked open bleary eyes.  
"Hardcase?" he asked confused, eyes struggling to keep him in focus, "what are you doing here?"  
"Saving you guys," Hardcase chuckled, but there was not much joy in it.

Kix nodded, though the movement was slow and his eyes slipped shut again right after.  
"Not to rain on your effort, Sir," Dogma mumbled, "but how exactly are you planning to get him out of here?"  
He indicated the hole Hardcase had come through that wasn't nearly big enough to accommodate Kix in his current state.

"Fives and Jesse are working on that," Hardcase said with grim determination, while he shook Kix back to consciousnes.  
"Kix, you know you can't sleep," he growled through clenched teeth, "you sleep and you die. And I won't let that happen, you hear me?"  
"You aren't even gonna let me die in peace," Kix chuckled despite the situation, taking a deep breath and wincing.  
"You aren't dying on my watch, Kix," Hardcase growled, determined, „Not when I can help it.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tze jenaf - zabrak: don't know.
> 
> I have read multible fics about Kix heaving some kind of health issue. I think I even remember reading somewhere about it being a missing spleen, or it's just my love for Tim Drake subconsciously.
> 
> Anyways, that's just a snippet about how Kix lost his spleen.  
> He was caught up in a cave in with Dogma and suffered extreme blunt force traume to his abdomen.


	3. Things you said too quietly...

They were all at the 79's for some drinks, after the last mission had actually gone all according to plan and they had, surprisingly, not lost even one trooper.

They all had already had one too many drinks and Jesse chuckled, as he watched Kix' head slowly starting to lean sideways as he stared at Hardcase, with a expression as if he was staring at the very being that had created this universe.  
"I like you so much," he suddenly said, though too quietly to be heard in the jam-packed bar.   
Jesse was the only one that seemed to have heard what Kix had said, as he sat smooched up closely against the medic's side.

Hardcase, on the other side of their booth, laughed at something Fives said, before turning to Kix.  
"Did you just say somethin?" he asked.  
Under his bright smile Kix blinked slowly a few times, so obviously struggling with what to say next, wether or not to say anything at all.

"Just asked if you wanted a new one," he said, pointing at Hardcase's almost empty glass.  
"Sure," Hardcase nodded, downing the last of his drink, before sliding the empty glass over to Kix.  
Kix nodded, before taking the glass and getting up to turn towards the bar.

"Is there a reason you wouldn't tell him what you really said?" Jesse asked, making Kix jump as he leaned onto the bar next to him.  
Jesse shook his head at the bartender, pointing at Kix to indicate that he was with him.

"Urgh, I don't know," Kix huffed, bending foreward to rest his forehead on Hardcase's empty glass that he was still holding.   
"Does he really like me that much?" he wanted to know, looking at Jesse with an honest vulnerability in his eyes, that Jesse didn't see very often.  
"Are you kidding," Jesse chuckled, "he is so crazy about you, he literally won't shut up about you."

Kix lifted his head and pushed the glass toward the barkeeper, before turning to Jesse fully.  
Jesse chuckled as the medic lifted a brow in a rare show of insecurity.  
"Trust me," Jesse all but laughed, "just the day before he told me how nice your ass is."

"Really," Kix asked, looking thoroughly surprised.  
Jesse nodded. "And now get your ass over there and tell him how much you like him, you moon jockey."  
With that being said he handed Kix Hardcase's refilled glass and pushed him toward their table, so that Kix could tell Hardcase that he was just as crazy about him as Hardcase was about Kix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to write Kix as being the insecure one for once, plus a little bit Lilo & Stitch on the side.  
> Hardcase likes Kix' ass and fancy hair, and Jesse would know because Hardcase literally won't shut up about it.


	4. Things you said over the phone...

They had been pinned down, by a group of freking B2 that refused to go down.  
The droids had forced them to take cover behind the corner of a bombed out building, and wouldn't give them any opening to get clear shots.   
That was, unless someone was about to draw their fire, Hardcase thought.  
"Alright guys, don't you dare miss," Hardcase shouted over the hail of blaster fire.  
Everyone stared at him in confusion but Hardcase didn't notice, as he had already left the safety of the wall to draw the druids fire.

He could hear the plasma hitting the ground around him, and even felt the heat of plasma bolts that just barely missed him.  
Then he managed to get to the building on the other side of the street, where he could take cover.  
And as soon as he had thrown himself down at it's wall, he listened for the blasterfire of the B2's, and was excited to not hear it anymore.

Hardcase was still gaspin to normalize his breathing as his com unit gave a ping.  
"Yes," he asked as he activated it, still a bit out of breath.  
 _"What the hell was that, Hardcase?"_ Kix' voice growled into his ear, and Hardcase couldn't help but gulp.

"That was me drawing fire, so that the others could take out those clancers," Hardcase said and then heard Kix huff a big breath.  
 _"Why does my boyfriend not have any self-preservation instinct?"_

Hardcase's brows raised at that. "Did you just call me your boyfriend?" he asked lamely.  
There was silence and rustling for a few long, horrible moments until Kix huffed a single, _"Huh."_  
Hardcase echoed this sound, nodding his head.

From the corner of eyes he saw movement, on the first floor of the building accross the street.  
Hardcase took up his blaster, but halted as he saw Kix helmet peering through one of the shattered windows, before retreating again.  
 _"Seems like I did, huh,"_ he said.  
Hardcase nodded, chuckeling under his breath. "I like it," he admitted.  
 _"Guys."_  
Hardcase flinched at Rex' voice suddenly ringing in his ears, loud and clear.  
 _"Next time maybe have this conversation off the coms, okay."_

Then he heard Kix full on laugh from his side, and the suddenness of that sound had Hardcase sit there frozen, staring at the bombed out house their unit used as cover.  
 _"Sorry to bother you all,"_ Kix snickered.  
 _"I think we just broke Hardcase,"_ Fives mused, which finally managed to shake Hardcase out of his stupor.

"I am fine, Fives, thank you," he said, sounding more like Kix then himself and the answering chuckle from Kix made it feel even stranger.  
 _"Okay, could you all vacate the coms now. We need them for coordination not for you to have marriage counseling,"_ Echo grumble.  
"So, now we're marrried?" Hardcase asked, feeling a bit of a falling sensation at the thought of it.  
 _"You surely act like it,"_ Echo said.

Thankfully Rex took over the coms right after, and everything seemed to return back to normal.  
Hardcase risked a last glance towards the buildings second floor, Kix' helmet stared back at him, and Hardcase waved to him before he sprinted back toward the others.


	5. Things you didn't say at all...

He wanted to tell Kix what they were about to do, it wasn't entirely without risk.  
No, that was an understatement, it was bound to turn sideways, Hardcase could feel it in his very bones.

That's why he wanted to tell Kix, prepare him for the possibility that he wasn't coming back, but Jesse and Fives had both been against it.  
Not only did they want to keep the circle of trooper that knew about their plan as small as possible, since Krell had his damn eyes and ears everywhere, but they also didn't want to burden Kix with it.  
And Hardcase understood, he really did.  
Kix was run down to the bone as it was, he barely slept, ate too little and was so emotionally distraught that everyone stayed as clear of him as they could. Telling him that they were about to go and try to break through that blockade was sure to have Kix blow a gasket; if it didn't cause Kix' stress induced aneurysm to straight up rupture.

Hardcase still felt guilty as hell flying out of the hangar. Not guilty at disobeying orders, hells no.  
Krell was a damn psycho, and if anything Hardcase felt a bit more at ease, as they made their way closer to the blockade, knowing that they would likely safe a lot of their brothers by what they were doing.  
However, as it became apparent that they had no means of blowing up that ship, no means except for one of them staying behind and blowing it up manually, everything crashed down upon him.

Hardcase was out of his starfighter before he could second guess himself, before the thought of leaving Kix behind could take a hold of his mind.

He told Jesse and Fives to leave, that he would be staying behind and take care of it.  
His last thoughts, as he pushed one of the mines towards the bearing full of thousands of them, were the hope that he had done the right thing and, for some reason, every single thing he hadn't told Kix.

He had told him more then once that he loved him, but did he tell him how much he loved his eyes, or his laugh, or how he was the only one that would force his mind to slow down at times.  
He had told him how he wanted them to grow old together, get married, have kids, but did he tell him that he felt all warm inside when Kix called him 'sweety', or how there was a electric impulse going through him every time they touched.  
He didn't tell him how funny he could be at times, how him being jealouse made Hardcase feel all wanted and protected.  
He didn't tell him how deep his feelings truely ran, didn't tell him how much the thought of loosing Kix terrified him beyond believe.  
He hadn't told Kix what they were about to do, he hadn't told him that he loved him for the last time, but most importantly, he hadn't said his goodbyes.

Hardcase asked himself if Kix would be doing okay once he was gone, and those were his last thoughts before the only thing he saw was a blazing bright light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kix doesn't actually have a stress-induced aneurysm, it's just a in-joke that everyone, including Kix, uses because everyone in torent is a) insanely stupid, or b) down with a death wish, or c) both.


	6. Things you said under the stars and in the grass...

All of them had tents, they shouldn't be sleeping under open skies, especially with Kix missing his spleen.  
They weren't gonna sleep there, they just wanted to look at the skies; they also weren't the only ones. Whatever made this planet so special, you could see the stars so freking clearly at night that literally everyone was either sitting or lying in the grass and staring up at the night sky.  
Not even the captain could be asked to pretend that this spectacle didn't fascinate him.

"Kinda proves to you just how insignificant all of us are in the grand scheme of things, huh," Hardcase mused, arms crossed in the back of his head.  
"I don't know, you are pretty significant to me," Kix said.  
He was lying next to him, with his head on Hardcase's stomach, and Dogma to his side, who immediately groaned in annoyance.  
"Force, can't you two stop it for once?" he grumbled.  
"Stop what?" Kix asked innocently.  
"I have no idea," Hardcase said, though he had a hard time keeping the grin off his face.

"Have I even told you how beautiful you are?" Kix asked after some time.  
Hardcase looked back from the skies to Kix, who was staring at him with such a intensity that it made the warm, fussy feeling in Hardcase's stomach go wild.

"You looked at yourself in the mirror this morning as if you're a work of art," Hardcase snickered, to distract from the blush he could feel rising on his face, "I'm pretty sure that counts."  
There was another groan from Dogma and a mumbled, "please shut up," but the shiny didn't get up and leave, so...

"No, I mean like actually told you how beautiful you are."  
Hardcase felt his ears burn as he stared back at Kix, who had pushed himself up into a sitting position.  
"I-I guess not," Hardcase stammered.  
"I also didn't tell you how much I love you, right?"  
"Allright, no. Not listening to this," Dogma said as he scrambled to his feet, "you do your little lovey dovey whatever, but leave me out of it."  
While he walked off towards where Jesse and Tup were listening to some story Fives told them, they could still hear him grumble about how they were annoying.

"Finally," Kix huffed and flopped down next to him.  
"Wait, you planned that," Hardcase frowned, while Kix started to chuckle.  
"Of course, otherwise this would've been a bit awkward."  
Hardcase didn't quite comprehend what Kix meant, until the medic grabbed a hold of his shoulders to pull him into a kiss.

And, yeah, that would've been a bit awkward with Dogma still hanging around.  
Especially considering that Kix wouldn't let go of him, and kissed him until Hardcase's head spun from lack of oxygen.  
"I do tell you all too rarely how much I love you," Kix said quietly once he let Hardcase up for air.  
Their faces were still so close that their foreheads were touching, and their noses bumped against each other as Kix spoke.  
Hardcase gulped and tightened his hold on Kix' back, which he hadn't even noticed himself taking a hold of the medic like that.

And he didn't quite want to tell Kix that he was right.  
Sure, Hardcase told Kix more often that he loved him, and how beautiful he was, and how much he appreciated all those little things about him, but the fact of the matter was simply that Kix showed his feelings in more subtle ways then Hardcase himself did.

"Every day it's implied," Hardcase finally settled on saying, and was rewarded with a soft smile spreading over Kix' face.  
"I should still tell you more often," he hummed, while rolling onto his side, so that he could lay cuddled up against Hardcase's side.  
"Whatever you'd like," Hardcase said, swallowing again at the loving look on Kix' face.

That's when Hardcase noticed the reflection of the night sky in Kix' eyes.  
"Wow," he breathed, as he leaned closer to have a better look.  
Kix however took that as his invitation to kiss him again, and Hardcase honestly couldn't complain.

"Oh for the love of-!" he heard Dogma shout, followed closely by Jesse exclaiming, "Tup, don't look!"  
This commotion caused Hardcase to burst out laughing, which, in turn, had Kix follow suit.  
"Force. You act like this is news to you," Kix chuckled, while sitting up, only to flop right back down again, holding his belly in a fit of howling laughter, as he saw that Jesse was actually holding his hands over Tup's eyes, who looked utterly confused.


	7. Things you said while we were driving...

In the end it was all commissioner Skywalkers fault, just because he had decided to send them into the weekend earlier for once.  
Rex should've known that the caffee had tasted too good, the skies had been too blue, and deputy police chief Krell's mood had been far too good.

Ahsoka couldn't pick him up because she had just started a two hour long conference call, and Jesse would've murdered both him and Fives, had they asked him to drive them home before his night shift.  
That had left him and Fives with very limited options.

Cody was still on the clock, just as Tup and Dogma, who was also in charge of a new trainee that sported one hell of an attitude problem.   
Boil had just walked into the firehouse as they called, and told them that Waxer had just went out on a fire run.  
Wolffe and his team had been called onto a case outside of state, and Echo was on vocational training at the other side of the country.  
Hevy and Cutup, their last hope, were on deployment as they realized once they got Hevy's voicemail.

But it still gave Fives the idea of who could be their salvation for this early weekend.  
As Kix was still waiting on being cleared psychologically, after he had gotten into quite hot waters with the enemie on his last deployment.

Fate was very fond of irony. They did manage to score a ride, but the ensuing drive made them both wish they had just walked home, or taken the bus.  
They had ended up in Kix' trusty, old '79 Camaro SS, with Hardcase driving no less.  
But since Kix didn't trust Hardcase fully with his car he had called shotgun, which left Fives and Rex cramped into the back seat, having to listen to those two banter back and forth over Hardcase's driving skills.

And, okay, Kix had a point, Hardcase droves as if he had indeed won his drivers license in the lottery.  
He either took too long at the red light, or not long enough while taking a turn, he swerved, came too close to the side stripe and drove way too slow.

Kix got fed up about fifteen minutes into the drive, and had Hardcase stop so that he could take over the wheel. Which wasn't much better either, as it showed clear as day that Kix had spend way too long riding along in Hevy's humvee overseas.  
His driving skills surely came in handy at times, but not so much in rush hour, with three people in the car, none of which were used to driving in a open warzone.

Rex and Fives were flung from side to side and into each other, as Kix weaved his way through traffic, and all of Fives' pleas to, „please let Hardcase drive,“ fell on deaf ears.  
Plus -"I can't believe it," Rex cursed, pushing Fives off of himself, who had just been flung against him again, "fetuses in-utero must have more space"- Kix' car was a damn sardine can.

But that hadn't even been the worst, since it turned out Hardcase's bitching about Kix' car had only been pretense, to keep him from what he really wanted to talk about.  
Apparently Kix and Hardcase had been in a full blown fight, about Kix not wanting to quit his job with the USMC, before Fives had called them.

They seemingly had decided to put their fight on hold, in favor of helping their friends, but half way through the drive they both cracked.

Rex was rubbing his temples as Kix shouted that he, in fact, liked his job, and wouldn't be quitting it over what had happened on his last deployment.  
Hardcase shot back that he didn't want to wait for a call from Kix' parents telling him that he had been killed, and Kix snapped that Hardcase knew what he was getting himself into as he started dating him.

"Why won't you just take that job at the hospital," Hardcase exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.  
"Because I never wanted a quiet life like that," Kix shot back, who, at this point, missed a red light.  
"Oh my god," Fives gasped, clawing at the inner gear of the Camaro, trying to find purchase.  
"This is all your fault!" Rex hissed, who at this point, was starting to look quite green.

"Well, if you can't handle my job, maybe this whole relationship was a mistake," Kix snapped and Rex and Fives fell silent immediately.  
They were finally in their street but relief wasn't something they were feeling.  
"Yeah, maybe it was," Hardcase growled, turning towards the window, before falling silent.

The last few feet were as awkward as it got.  
They avoided looking at each other, and also tried to avoid looking at Kix in the rear-view mirror.  
"Thanks for the lift, guys," Fives said awkwardly as he climbed out of the car, and patted Hardcase's shoulder as he held the door open for him.  
"No problem," Kix grumbled from the driver's seat, as Hardcase waved them goodbye before getting back into the passanger seat.

"Fuck," Fives huffed, watching the Camaro drive off. "You think they're gonna be okay?"  
He turned to Rex, who was still a bit off-colour, and also looked after the car with a shocked expression. "I have no idea."

Of all of them Kix and Hardcase's relationship had seemed to be the most stable one of all, having them going at each other like that was quite the shock.  
In the end they both said their goodbyes and went their seperate ways, but their friends fight still lingered with them.

"No, I don't think Kix will be quitting his job," Jesse had said, once he came back the next day, and Fives had told him about what had transpired on his ride home.  
"Not even for Hardcase?" Fives asked, to which Jesse had just shrugged.

"Do you think Hardcase will be staying if Kix doesn't quit?"  
"I don't really see him leaving either," Ahsoka mumbled around her slice of toast, "he likes Kix way too much for that."

And Ahsoka turned out to be right. As Kix got cleared for duty and put himself up for deployment immediately, and who was driving him to the airport but Hardcase.  
Fives was only there because he had gone along with Echo, who was seeing Hevy off.

Of all the couples that were saying their goodbyes only Hardcase and Kix managed to be more clingy then Cutup and his girlfriend Nedea.  
"If you crash my car while I'm gone, I will kill you," Kix told Hardcase, bumping their noses together.  
"How would you even know?" Hardcase had asked, arms tight where they were held around Kix' waist.  
"I feel that," Kix grinned, before kissing him.

"You better be coming back home," Hardcase said, resting their foreheads together.  
"You shouldn't be making yourself this crazy before I'm even gone," Kix said, kissing Hardcase's cheek. He made to extricate himself from the hug but Hardcase refused to let go.  
"Promise me you'll come back home," Hardcase demanded, his head resting on Kix' shoulder.  
"Hardcase," Kix sighed, huging Hardcase tightly, "you know I hate to promise stuff I can't keep."

Fives bit his bottom lip, watching as they finally broke their embrace and Kix went over to help Jinx get Nedea off Cutup.  
"Think they'll manage?" he asked Echo, who had waved Hevy goodbye a minute ago.  
Echo frowned, before he looked over to Hardcase, then pulled a face as his gaze continued over to Kix. "I don't know," he admitted honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually wanted to write something similiar to that batfamily comic where they can't decide on a driver, and have to be driven by Alfred in the end, because they won't even get out of the driveway.  
> I actually started like that, but it turned into this.  
> But it is at least compliant with my First Responder-AU.


	8. Things you said when you were crying...

Hardcase hated watching it; hated, hated, hated watching Kix flirt.  
Sure, he had no claim on Kix either, hadn't even told him that he was crazy about him, but that didn't mean that he liked watching Kix lean toward some random trooper, and tell him force only knew what.  
If he wasn't such a huge chickenshit he could be the one Kix mumbled sweet nothings to, but no, Hardcase was way too shy for that.  
He could practically feel the green monster of jealousy curling in his stomach, only fueled by the alcohol.

Hardcase didn't knew how long he still watched, but as Kix leaned towards the trooper in a clear invitation of more Hardcase had enough. He jumped off the stool he'd been sitting on and turned towards the door.  
"You're leaving? Already?" he heard Jesse ask and just nodded in answer.  
"Is he still drinking that?" he heard Fives ask, followed by Echo sighing, "He's leaving, Fives, just take it."

Once he got to the door and outside, Hardcase took a deep breath of the night air to calm himself down, but his mind refused to settle.  
And the alcohol had apparently lowered his inhibition so much that he could feel his eyes stinging with tears of frustration.  
Thankfully the only trooper in his immediate vicinity were three trooper that swayed back and forth and sung some sort of shanty, and another one throwing up into a trashcan, plus the two that were watching over him.

"Hardcase, are you okay?"  
Hardcase flinched so violently that he stumbled against the building's wall.  
Just why did Kix have to follow him?  
"Jesse said you didn't feel well,“ Kix said, nodding behind himself as form of explanation.  
Jesse! Hardcase cussed internally.  
Why couldn't his batch-mate just stay out of his business and let him lick his wounds in peace.

"Yeah, I'm not really feeling well," Hardcase lied, furiously wiping at his eyes.  
"Are you crying?" Kix asked, sounding amused, and that in turn made the green monster in his stomach roar out loud.  
"No," Hardcase growled, but that only had more tears spring to his eyes. Damn it.  
"Is something the matter?"  
No.  
"Yes!"  
"Yes?"  
What!?  
Hardcase stared at Kix, who in turn stared back at him. Apparently he had just said what he had wanted to think out loud, and vice versa.

"What's the-"  
"I can't stand you being all over that guy," Hardcase growled, feeling wetness at his cheeks again and wiping at it.  
"What guy?" Kix asked confused.  
"The one you were flirting with!" Hardcase said frustrated.

Kix stared at him, seemingly needing time to comprehend. "And why do you care?"  
Hardcase gulped, frek, he had utterly played himself now.  
Kix opened his mouth to say something else, but Hardcase couldn't hear it as he had turned on his heels and stormed off.

But he didn't make it far as Kix managed to grab onto his wrist.  
Hardcase turned, pulling Kix after himself and into an alley way filled with some trashcans.  
He hadn't actually meant to, he had meant to shake Kix' hand off and leave, but now, here they were, Kix pressing him into the wall of the building.  
"You are jealous," Kix hummed, observing him with a keen glint to his eyes.  
"Yeah," Hardcase snapped, eyes feeling wet again as he dropped any and all pretenses, "and what if I was."  
"That's so hot," Kix rasped, and Hardcase instantly froze as Kix' voice dropped several octaves.

Hardcase had only a moment to process what was happening, before Kix was all up in his space and their lips were connected.  
It was everything Kix was when he lost his cool, pure fire and explosive energy. There was a lick to his lips and Hardcase flinched as Kix' tongue swiped over his bottom lip, demanding entrance.  
Then several things happened at once; one of Kix' legs pushed up in between Hardcase's, he gasped and Kix' tongue pushed into his mouth. Hardcase tasted the alcohol Kix had been drinking, an overpowering corellian blend, that made his head spin even more.  
His hands came up on their own accord and grabbed onto Kix' hips, pulling him closer.

Hardcase's head kept screaming at him that he had no idea if Kix was being sincere, but the green monster in his stomach purred satisfied, all warm and content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning to do this as a daily challenge for myself, but I have eye surgery tomorrow and was told that I will be in pain afterward.  
> I managed to prewrite a few chapters on the weekend, for the day of the surgery and the day after, but I have no idea for how long I'll be in pain.  
> So, sorry if I do not post in the following days, I do wanne finish this project :D


	9. Things you said while I was crying...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, turns out the pain has been way too much the last two days for me to even post the chapters I had prewritten.  
> I'm feeling alright today, let's see how that's gonna hold up.

"Looks like somebody's been drinking," a voice said, and as Kix turned his head, the world suddenly had such a meniacal tilt, that the only reason he didn't fall off his bar stool was Hardcase grabbing onto his shoulders.

"Wow," Hardcase chuckled worried, pushing him back, to be sitting more securely, "Are you okay."  
Kix nodded, before taking another swig of his drink, then he shook his head.  
He could still see the eyes of the poor shiny that had been torn up by that artillery shell.  
Could still hear the sergeant mumble, in a voice heavy with pain and panic, that he needed his helmet.

It shouldn't be bothering him so much, maybe there was something wrong with him after all because it bothered him greatly.  
Because their screams wouldn't stop rattling around his head, and their bloodied faces and mutilated bodies wouldn't stop appearing in front of his inner eye.

"Hey," Hardcase's voice cooed in his ear, then a arm wrapped around Kix' shoulders, "Hey, Kix. What's wrong." And Kix didn't knew what Hardcase was talking about, until he reached out to wipe the tears from his face.

Kix must've had way too much to drink, since it took quite something for Kix to be reduced to a crying mess, he could hold his liquor.  
Hardcase had seen him giggly, territorial and rambunctious, but the times he had seen Kix cry Hardcase could count out on one hand.

Their last mission had went straight into the gutter pretty quickly, and the medics had been left with a copious amount of wounded soldiers, of which many had not survived.  
And even though they should be able to handle it, Kix seemed to have hit his breaking point, as he told him as much.

"There has to be something wrong with me," Kix hickuped, face tucked into the crook of Hardcase's neck, "There has to be something wrong. Why does it hurt so much?"  
And Hardcase, honest to all gods, didn't know what to answer him. He was at a complete loss for words.

"Force, just how much did he have?" a voice asked, and Hardcase sighed in relieve as he set eyes on the captain.  
"I don't know," he admitted, looking at the barkeeper, who supplied, "I was about to cut him off."  
Rex huffed a breath, before rolling his eyes and motioning for Hardcase to lay Kix' arm around his shoulder, while he took the other, and together they dragged Kix back into the barracks.

"Just let him sleep it off," Rex instructed, after appointing him official Kix-sitter for the evening.

"And you know what the worst thing is," Kix slurred.  
He had finally managed to calm himself down enough to stop his sobbing, though his voice still sounded shaky and the tears were still rolling down his face.  
"No?" Hardcase said quietly, feeling utterly awkward about the situation.  
"You are all down with a death wish," Kix huffed with exertion, as he performed some kind of crazy contortion to get the remainder of his armor off, "meaning at some point I'll be loosing all of you."

Hardcase stared at Kix in silence, completely taken aback by what Kix had said.  
He watched Kix flop down on his back, and then as the medic made grabby hands at him like some kind of toddler. Hardcase sighed in resignation and layed down next to Kix, who immediately slung his arms around his body and pulled him close.

"I won't leave you, Kix," Hardcase promised, but Kix only burst into giggles.  
"You have no self-preservation instincts whatsoever," Kix slurred, "but that is okay, I still love you. Just don't die too soon."  
"I promise, I won't be leaving you alone," Hardcase said, watching as Kix gave him a toothy grin, before his head dropped down on his shoulder, and he passed out cold.

That statement came back to bite Hardcase in the ass.  
He had thought Kix forgot everything about that night, since he didn't mention it again, but as Hardcase got hit by shrapnel a few weeks later it came back up again.  
"You told me you won't be leaving me alone," Kix hissed, applying pressure onto Hardcase' shoulder, where the shrapnel from the grenade had torn through.  
"You were drunk," Hardcase said, whimpering as Kix put some bacta gauze onto the wound, before starting to wind it tightly around his shoulder to stop the blood flow.  
"Yeah," Kix huffed, securing the bandage on his back with some clasps, "but you weren't, and you promised."


	10. Things you said that made me feel like shit...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter that I had prewritten.  
> It is starting to look a lot better, well in regards to the pain, I still can't see out of my right eye.

Had he known that this little fluffy animal would be causing him so much pain Hardcase wouldn't have touched it.  
But the small ball of fluff had looked to unassuming and cute. So he patted it and watched it change it's colour.  
This should've been his first warning.  
The sneezing should've been his second and the wobbling of his vision his third, and final one.

 _"Why the frek do I even stay with you?"_  
"What?" Hardcase asked, staring at Kix, who had just turned to him.  
_"Just look at you. Why would I ever stay with you, when I could do so much better."_

Kix looked over at Fives and Hardcase's stomach fell.  
He had been suspecting there to be something between Kix and the newbie for quite some time now, but to have it confirmed like that.  
"Why- why are you telling me like that?" Hardcase asked, feeling his throat close up in embarrassment as Fives exchanged a look with Kix, chuckeling under his breath.

 _"Make it short and painless,"_ Kix shrugged, taking off his helmet.  
And if Hardcase wasn't so focused on what Kix said he would've noticed how Kix' mouth curved into a way too steep grin.  
_"Come on. Did you really think I would be feeling somehing for you?"_ Kix said, as he stepped closer.

That was when Hardcase started backing away. This couldn't be happening.  
He stumbled against a tree in his back, as his vision swam from the tears gathering in his eyes.  
_"What am I to do with you?"_ Kix continued, stalking closer, _"you are stupid, childish and defective."_  
Hardcase felt his legs begin to shake, and as he hit a branch on his retreat he stumbled backwards to the ground. But even that wouldn't stop Kix, who loomed over him.  
_"Malikep,"_ he hissed, and Hardcase flinched, trying to back away but Kix croached down and grabbed a hold of his shoulders, holding him in place.  
"Kix, please," Hardcase sobbed, "Please stop."

 _"Stop,"_ Kix laughed, his voice high and mocking. _"Stop with what Hardcase?"_ he then asked in a mocking tone, _"can't handle the truth, sweety."_  
And that hurt even more, because Kix usually called him 'sweety' as a term of endearment, but this mocking tone almost made Hardcase throw up.  
"Please stop," Hardcase whimpered as he saw Jesse and Denal coming to stand next to Fives.

He didn't want the others to witness this, but his stomach sunk even further as he heard Jesse chuckle, _"Yeah, did you really think he loves you."_  
_"So stupid,"_ Denal agreed, _"utterly stupid."_

Hardcase's helmet was gone all of a sudden, and the blinding light of the sun had Hardcase flinch back so hard that he ended up flatt on his back.  
No, it had been Fives pouncing on him, to help Kix hold him down and laugh about how stupid he was to believe that Kix could actually love him.

"What is going on with him?" Fives asked, trying to keep Hardcase pinned to the ground as the other thrashed and tried to push him off, all the while sobbing for him to stop.  
"I have no idea," Kix said, who had equal problems, shining a penlight into Hardcase's eyes to check on his pupils. They were blown so wide that his eyes seemed utterly black.

"Kix, please stop," Hardcase sobbed again and Kix, at the edge of despair, snapped, "What? Hardcase, what's wrong!?"  
Hardcase stared back at him, utterly frozen, before he completely broke down.

"What is going on?" Rex demanded, watching from the sidelines as Kix and Fives struggled to keep Hardcase contained.  
"Did he touch something?" Ahsoka asked, and as Juno mentioned that he had seen Hardcase pat one of those fluffball animals, everything fell into place for her.  
"Those are Teulad's, they don't like being touched."  
She moved toward the other three and went rummaging through Kix' backpack.  
Those fluffballs were dangerous enough apparently, for them to carry a antidute to the substance they seclided, but not enough for them to be mentioned in their mission briefing.

Hardcase had went from crying to screaming at them to all shut up and leave him alone, but as Ahsoka joined the mix he went straight back into a crying fit.  
"Not you too," he cried.  
"Hardcase. Hardcase, calm down," Jesse tried, only for Ahsoka to shake her head and hold up her hand for him to stop where he was.  
"Stay where you are, he's hallucinating," she snapped, handing Kix a phial to put into his medicine dispenser, "Give him that. That should stop it."

 _Give him that_ , was easier said then done however.  
Hardcase started thrashing so fiercely that it ultimately took Fives, Jesse, Denal and Ahsoka for Kix to be able to administer the antidote.  
Once he did Hardcase stopped moving altogether, staring up at the forests canopy, breathing heavily.

"Come on, get up, give him some space," Rex said, shooing everyone off to the side, until the only remaining people at Hardcase's side were Kix and Ahsoka.  
"What happened?" Hardcase asked, after quite some time, voice trembling from all the crying.  
"You were hallucinating," Ahsoka said softly, being careful to not move too quickly.  
Hardcase nodded jerkily, staring back at Kix with owlish big eyes.  
"I need to check your vitals," Kix said, sounding almost timid as he waited for Hardcase to nodd his consent before he leaned foreward to shine his penlight into his eyes.

"You told me how useless I am," Hardcase whispered as Kix pressed his head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

Kix froze in place for a second, just listening until Hardcase continued.  
"How you couldn't possibly have feelings for me and h-how Fives..." he broke off with a shuddering breath, but Kix had heard enough.  
He was not blind, he had noticed how Hardcase acted exceedingly jealous around Fives, and how Fives seemed to amplify Hardcase's insecurities.

"You know I would never say that," Kix said calmly, keeping his voice down so that the others couldn't hear him.  
Hardcase shrugged, and that hurt more then watching him try to get away from him, while screaming for him to stop.  
"Hardcase," Kix grabbed onto his shoulders, causing Hardcase to flinch and Ahsoka to watch them out of worried eyes, "I love you, okay. When are you finally going to believe me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teulad's are little animals that are essentially balls of fluff. They do not like being touched, and when touched they change colour and seclude a scretion in defense that causes hallucination in humans.
> 
> "Malikep" is a zabrak slur regarding age and geneology, and essentially means "stupid child".


	11. Things you said when you were drunk...

"Alright, that's it. You had enough, Kix," Hardcase chuckled as Kix made to jump onto their table to make sure everyone knew that this was their table.  
"Hey hey hey," Kix grouched, slapping at the hand Hardcase used to pull him back onto the bench, „You are my husband now, you are not supposed to judge anything I do!"

"So, now you are married?" Fives chuckled, eyeing them over the rim of his glass.  
"Don't listen to him," Hardcase said, while trying to keep the way too giggly medic seated on the bench next to him.  
"Wait, yes, we actually got married," Kix snickered, making to take off his right hand glove before Jesse jumped in, and spilled his drink all over their desk.  
"Oh sorry," he mumbled, while throwing Hardcase a glance that screamed _'get him the frek out of here!'_.  
And that was exactly what Hardcase was gonna do.  
While the others cleaned up Jesse's mess, Hardcase grabbed Kix and steered him toward the door.

"Kix. Kix, shut the frek up," Hardcase hissed, trying to hold a hand over Kix' mouth, as he still wouldn't stop babbeing on about how they had gotten married.  
"Did we even have our wedding night?" Kix asked, once they made their way back onto the Resolute.  
"No and we sure as hells won't have it now," Hardcase hissed as Kix made a grab for his belt.  
Hardcase rolled his eyes, steering Kix toward the barracks, all the while grumbling about drunken medics.

"Kix, shut up!" Hardcase hissed exasperated, once Kix started singing a shanty about a sailor that got married to his lover.  
"You keep that up and by tomorrow everybody'll know that you two are married."  
Hardcase flinched and Kix started giggling stupidly once he saw Tup standing there at Hardcase's shoulder.  
"Hey Tup," Kix slurred, "listen to this," and with that he switched from the sailor shanty to a song about a party on a zellday night that had gotten way out of hand.

"How do you know?" Hardcase gasped, staring at Tup, all the while forgetting to keep his hold on Kix, who used his state of distraction to wiggle out of his grip and flee himself behind Tup.  
"I found his wedding band when he forgot his gloves in the mess two weeks ago," Tup explained, breaking off into a laugh as Kix started to tickle his sides.  
"Force," Hardcase groaned, "Kix, you told me you wanted to keep it a secret."  
„Shit happens,“ Kix chuckled in response and shrugged his shoulders.  
Hardcase rubbed his eyes. "Alright, new plan," he said, grabbing Kix' hand to wrench off his glove.

"I don't wanna get divorced," Kix sniffed, looking genuinely hurt now, as he held his hand out of Hardcase's reach.  
"We aren't getting divorced," Hardcase hissed, "the vows are gonna hold, no matter what. But we're gonna use those zabrak wedding traditions you told me about."  
Kix' face broke into a bright smile, before he leaned closer to purr into his ear, "And I guess you already got a design ready."

Hardcase frowned. "Have you been skimming through my sketches again?"  
Kix swayed his upper body with an air of innocence one would only expect from an ill-behaved toddler.  
"Alright, fine. Yeah, I got some sketches, but," he added quickly, "you only get to choose one though if you go to bed now."

What followed were ten minutes of them trying to get Kix to bed, that ended in them chasing the drunken medic all over the barracks. Since, despite being drunk, Kix still had good enough coordination to manage to evade and outrun them.  
"Fine, you can decide now," Hardcase snapped as Kix outsmarted them again by crawling below one bunk bed towards another.  
Kix grinned, looking way too pleased with himself.  
"See, was that so hard," he snickered, flopping down next to Hardcase who took out his sketches.

As soon as Hardcase opened the sketches to the right page however, Kix' head hit his shoulder.  
"Thank the force," Hardcase huffed, once he realized that Kix had passed out cold.

"You still don't know that we got married," Hardcase hissed at Tup, even though the younger trooper was helping him carry the dead weight of a passed out medic to his bunk.  
"I am as quiet as a tomb," Tup smiled.  
Hardcase frowned, then sighed once he noticed that Tup was looking at the necklace with Hardcase's wedding band that had slipped from the collar of his off duty fatigues, yet again.

"Kix said it would be too obvious," Hardcase said, slipping the necklace back inside his collar, "that's why he suggested zabrak wedding traditions."  
Tup raised a brow and Hardcase explained, "In zabrak wedding traditions the couple gets matching tattoos to signify their union."  
Tup nodded.  
"You should probably still keep him away from the alcohol, though," he suggested, both of them chuckeling as Kix mumbled in his sleep about mynocks eating all the socks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in compliance with chapter 18 of 'Down with Love'.


	12. Things you said while you thought I was asleep...

Hardcase groaned, how hard could it be to be quiet during lights-out.  
It wasn't like him to be screaming for quiet in the middle of the night, he was usually a very deep sleeper, but today just happened to be the day were Hardcase struggled to find sleep.  
He was half a second away from bolting upright and snapping that there were people here who wanted to sleep at 3 am, when he managed to recognize the two voices preventing just that.

„Would you just drop it,“ Kix snapped.  
„I simply don't get what it is about him,“ Fives said, followed closely by Kix groaning in annoyance.  
„You don't need to get anything,“ he reitterated, „it is none of your concern.“

Hardcase frowned, what were those two talking about?  
Fives and Kix had been getting along pretty well, ever since Fives and Echo had joined torent, and Hardcase also couldn't remember anything happening that would cause a fight between them.  
But before he could make his wakefulness noticed and start to mediate the fight, Fives said something that made him shut his eyes tightly.

„Hardcase doesn't need to know about it.“  
„Are you mental,“ Kix snapped, followed closely by the sound of skin hitting skin.  
Hardcase peeked one eye open, just barely, and could make out Fives who was rubbing his cheek.  
„Let me be clear,“ Kix growled, he had put a good few feet of distance between himself and Fives and his posture was openly hostile, „there will never be anything between us. Not now, not ever.“  
„What if Hardcase wasn't around anymore?“ 

Hardcase closed his eye again as Fives' gaze traveled up toward his bunk, and he forced his breathing to stay as calm and deep as he could manage.   
He heard a sound leave Kix' chest that sounded in between a gasp and a growl, before his bunk shook with the force of something, or someone, hitting the frame.  
Thank the force that he had a solo-bunk.

„Let me just pretend for your sake, that I didn't hear that,“ Kix hissed, the bunk's frame shook again and then there was the sound of footsteps walking off.  
„Where are you going?“ Fives called, after the clearly retreating Kix.  
„I'm sleeping in the on-call room,“ Kix snapped back, voice already sounding fainter.   
„So we'll talk tomorrow?“ Fives asked, and Kix answered with a hissed, „Choke on it, Fives,“ before there was the sound of the doors to the barracks closing behind him. 

What followed was a long silence. Hardcase listened to Fives exhale a deep breath, before there was the unmistakable sound of him rubbing his beard.  
„Listened to all of it?“ he asked and Hardcase nodded before climbing off his bunk. 

He leaned against the other side of the bunk's frame, so there was the entire mattress' length in between them.  
Fives raised a brow at him, Hardcase answering with a shrug of his shoulders.  
„So,“ Hardcase said softly, „Kix, eh?“  
Fives shrugged in answer.  
„I thought you and Echo-“ Hardcase trailed off once Fives snorted a humorless laugh and shook his head.  
„He's still not over Hevy.“

Hardcase nodded his understanding, before crossing his arms over his chest.   
„Will you back off voluntarily, or do I need to make you back off?“ he asked.  
Fives snorted in open amusement, eyebrows rasing in a clear display of mockery. „You? Make me back off?“  
Hardcase's face settled into hard lines, shoulders pulled into a tight line of tension. „I will make your life a living hell, if you force me.“

Fives chuckled again, shaking his head, before waving him off. „Sure, sure,“ he hummed, making to turn towards his own bunk. But he stopped midturn. „Let me put it like that,“ he said, gaze thoughtfully directed at Hardcase, „I won't do anything to mess up what you got with Kix, is not my game. But,“ he emphasised, „the minute you screw this thing up, and you will, I'll be waiting.“

That made Hardcase snort in amusement himself. „Well,“ he chuckled, „while you wait, better read yourself a datapad, 'cause that's gonna take a while.“  
Fives snorted in response, finally turning fully and walking off.  
Hardcase, himself, threw his hands up to the back of his head, needing to comprehend what had just transpired.   
Once he couldn't see Fives anymore Hardcase turned on his heels, heading for the messhall.  
He wouldn't be finding any more sleep tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically what caused Hardcase and Fives to be at each others throats sometimes.


	13. Things you said at the kitchen table...

It took about ten seconds for Kix to realize that he hadn't woken up due to his alarm.   
A quick look over his shoulder, that nearly gave him whiplash, showed him that he had, in fact, not heard it and now only had half an hour to get himself to work. 

He stumbled out of bed, rummaging around his room to get his uniform in order, before he burst through the doors and stumbled into the bathroom to brush his teeth.  
„Overslept?“ a voice asked that was not Hardcase's and Kix rolled his eyes.  
„When did my apartment turn into the clubhouse for bored first responders?“ he asked around his toothbrush.

There was laughter from behind him, and a quick glance into the mirror confirmed that not only Hardcase was taking up the kitchen counter, but Fives and Waxer as well.  
„Around the time you agreed to have me crash here,“ Hardcase said, smiling as Kix hurried out of the bathroom and started rummaging around the living room.  
„Looking for something?“ Waxer asked, raising a brow at the EMT's antics.  
„Can't find my backpack,“ Kix growled, who had turned to tearing the cushions off the couch to see if his backpack might not have been swallowed up.  
„You mean that one?“ Hardcase asked, holding up a backpack that had before sat at his feet.

„Oh, thank you,“ Kix cooed.  
He actually took a jump over the backrest of the couch, and nearly face-planted himself as he hurried over to them.  
„You think of his backpack, but not of waking him up?“ Fives asked amused, as he watched Kix plant many many kisses all over Hardcase's face.  
„I just got back from my shift ten minutes before you guys got here,“ Hardcase defended himself, „And it's not my fault you made me listen to you bitching about Krell again.“  
The mere mention of that name had Fives' features darken, but before he could launch himself into another rant Kix cut him off.

„Safe it for later,“ he said, grabbing his backpack and making for the door, but Hardcase held him back before he got further then a few steps.  
„Wait,“ he called, „breakfast.“  
And before Kix could ask how the fuck Hardcase expected him to eat breakfast, when he now only had twenty minutes for an half hour long commute, something flew his way and he only managed to catch it because of years of baseball practice as kid.

„Strawberry cake-frosting?“ he asked, once he could have a closer look at the container Hardcase had tossed him. „Nice?“  
„You got milk, fruits, and enough sugar to last you a month,“ Hardcase said, „What else do you want?“  
„A spoon,“ Kix said sheepishly, peeling off the sealed top of the container.  
„Use your finger, Queen Elizabeth,“ Hardcase sighed, rolling his eyes.  
Which Kix did, and as soon as he had a taste of the frosting his face lit up. „Wow, that tastes real good,“ he grinned, having Hardcase nodd in agreement.   
„See you later,“ Kix called, throwing the door open, „I love you.“

And once the door had banged shut the apartment was utterly silent.  
„Wow,“ Fives said, staring at the front door in amazement.   
„Yeah,“ Waxer agreed, staring at Hardcase, who shrugged his shoulders under his stare.   
„What?“ he chuckled, „is not like he hadn't said it before.“  
Fives raised a brow, while Waxer seemed to remember something. 

„Wait, was that what you drunkenly called me about two weeks ago?“  
„Erm, yeah,“ Hardcase said, frowning, „What else did you think.“  
„I honestly didn't understand a word you were saying,“ Waxer admitted, „I thought you were thinking about quitting.“  
„Now, why would you think that?“ Hardcase asked insulted.

Waxer shrugged. „Don't know. Wanting to leave for the woods to have all of your creative energy run wild.“  
„Oh my god,“ Hardcase groaned, rolling his eyes, „just because I said that during our graduation party? It was the first time I ever had Jägermeister, Waxer.“  
The other firefighter only shrugged in response, before turning to the toaster that had spit out the finished toast.

„Hold up,“ Fives snapped irritated, „How come Kix tells you that he loves you and I don't know any of it?“  
„Because you are a gossip,“ Hardcase huffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, but I just can't stop with the First Responder- AU.


	14. Things you said after you kissed me...

It happened often enough that Hardcase would do something insanely stupid, to the point that they would more or less expect it during a mission.   
However, they all seemed to forget that Kix had a temper to be reckoned with, and once he got pushed too far all bets were off.

Which was shown, as they were cornered by such a huge group of B2's, that Kix seemed to think the only thing left to do, was tackling three of them straight through the window behind them.  
That stunt had baught them the time they needed to deal with the rest of the droids, but Rex still had a bad feeling in his stomach once he stepped toward the shattered window.

Thankfully he was neither looking at more droids down in the courtyard, nor at the twisted corps of a trooper, but at three broken B2's, and his medic, laying in the water fountain of the courtyard he had jumped into.  
„Kix, you okay?“ Rex asked.  
He sighed in relieve once he saw Kix pushing himself into a sitting position, struggling to get to his feet.  
 _„I think so,“_ he responded, though his voice sounded kinda strained.  
But before Rex could ask any further questions, there was a scream from below them and he redied his blaster before even realizing what was going on.   
_„Are you freking insane!?“_

Hardcase was marching over the open ground of the courtyard, without even so much of a look around himself, to make sure there weren't any enemy blasters pointed at him.  
 _„What the frek were you thinking,“_ he yelled, once he was close enough to Kix to take a hold of his shoulders.  
He shook him, and Rex could see Kix wince and raise a hand up to his ribs.

_„Is your bucket to tight or something?“_ Hardcase continued, taking off Kix' helmet and throwing it at the medic's feet.  
It was such a strange scene, to see Kix do something so insanely stupid and now be scolded by Hardcase of all people, that Rex felt caught up in a dream.  
He scratched the back of his neck, and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming and concluded that, while strange, this was a pretty real interaction.

„Hardcase,“ he started to say into the intercom, when Kix effectively shut down any and all communication, as he leaned foreward to kiss Hardcase square on the lips, in front of all of them.

There was some rustling, before Kix' voice could be faintly heared on the coms.  
 _„Ever told you that you're unbelievably hot when you get like that...“_  
 _„Guys,“_ Echo huffed, before Rex put a lid on the whole interaction.  
„Alright, we'll be moving further down the south corridor. Kix, you stay with team jupiter.“

Kix nodded, lifting his hand to his temple in a quick salute, before taking his helmet that Hardcase had picked back up off the ground.  
„Never thought I'd be thinking about having a freking seminar about what's appropriate and not on the com's,“ Rex grumbled under his breath, rolling his eyes as he watched Hardcase and Kix walk towards the rest of team jupiter, Hardcase's hand way too low on the medic's back to simply be for support.


	15. Things you said with too many miles between us...

This time Hardcase had really done it, he had managed to injure himself so badly on the last mission that he was still not released from the infirmary as torent went onto their next mission.  
It was a utter bore, since most of the medics he knew were also on that mission, leaving him with a shiny named Stult.

"Gah, I hate this," Hardcase grumbled, hobbling along next to Stult who had just made sure his femur was healing nicely.  
"If it makes you feel any better, I don't like this either," Stult said.  
He had a decidedly shorter fuse for his bullshit then Zulu or Resol, even Kix when sleep deprived had more patience with him.

"If you'd ask me you really need to relax," Hardcase said.  
He was honestly just trying to help the shiny. Since he had been cooped up with him in the infirmary for the better part of the day, Hardcase had noticed that Stult was extremely on edge, having his hackles raised most of the time.  
This was a huge difference to the other, more seasoned medics, who had a relaxed posture and even managed to joke with each other during their work hours.  
Even in comparison to the other newbies, like Baldria and Ferns, Stult was just way too tense, and often times would get the injured trooper in the infirmary all nervous.

"Yeah, well, I didn't ask," Stult mumbled, cursing under his breath as he corrected something on his datapad. "Just take your meds and stay out of my hair, alright," he ordered, handing him his medication and pushing some of his hair out of his eyes.  
Stult had even longer hair then Tup and, while he wore it in a braid, he was just so nervous that his bangs would loosen out of the plaid.

Hardcase nodded his agreement, sighing as he watched Stult hurry off, all the while mumbling stuff he still needed to do.  
Hardcase knew 'night shifts' weren't that intense on a lazaret ship, he had been in their infirmarys often enough, being treated and trying to get Kix to sleep, to know that Stult only made himself crazy.  
But, alas, Hardcase was a infantry trooper so what did he know, which was why Stult refused to listen to him.

Hardcase was taken out of his thoughts as Stult walked back toward him.  
Thinking that the shiny might have seen reason and wanting some help, it came as a surprise that Stult handed him a comlink instead.  
"What-" Hardcase started confused, but Stult interrupted him with a growled, "he wants to talk to you."  
Hardcase couldn't even ask who Stult was talking about, as the shiny just dropped the comlink in his lap, before stalking off again.

 _"What did you do to him, Hardcase?"_ Kix' voice asked, and as soon as Hardcase recognized his voice his heart did summersaults.  
"I did nothing," he still spluttered indignant, "I'm just trying to get him to relax a little. He is stressing himself out because you guys are gone."

He heard Kix sigh. _"That's normal,"_ he said, _"it's scary to have the infirmary all to yourself and be alone with the doctors."_  
"He still needs to relax, though. Rachel mentioned to me how he failed to note some medication dosage correctly the other day, because he's got himself all worked up."  
_"I'm sorry, who?"_ Kix asked, sounding utterly confused.  
"You know, Rachel. That nurse Ross took a shining to," Hardcase explained, and Kix made a sound that showed he remembered the nurse.

"Why are you even calling?" Hardcase asked, throwing Stult a glance, who looked at him with a gloomy expression.  
_"Honestly? Wanted to check in on you,"_ Kix said, sounding amused, _"I know how being cooped up in the infirmary can get you a little stir crazy. Wanted to make sure you're not annoying the staff to death."_  
Hardcase made an indignant noise. "I would never," he snapped, to which Kix laughed.

"I'm okay," Hardcase finally settled on saying, "but you should really talk to Stult. I think he really needs one of you guys to talk to him."  
Kix hummed. _"It's really cute how you are looking out for the shinys,"_ he said.  
"Yeah, a good exercise for when we're gonna have kids," Hardcase agreed.  
_"Yeah,"_ Kix agreed. He had finally given up on discouraging Hardcase's little fantasies.  
"What can I say, we live fast and die young," Kix had shrugged, once Hardcase had noticed his change of heart.

"So, see you soon?" Hardcase asked hopefully.  
_"We'll see,"_ Kix said, and Hardcase could hear it in his voice that it would likely not be sooner then expected.  
"Well, just stay safe, okay," he said, while motioning for Stult to come over.  
_"And you keep an eye on the things in the infirmary,"_ Kix said, which Hardcase agreed to all to happily.

"Here," he said, handing Stult the communicator, "he wants to talk to you."  
Hardcase couldn't help the chuckle that left him, upon seeing the shinys shocked expression. He waggled the comlink in front of Stult's face until the trooper finally took it.  
And Hardcase couldn't help but smile at the relief that washed over Stult's face, upon hearing Kix' familiar voice.  
Looked like he did some good after all, Hardcase mused, as he listened to Stult and Kix talk.  
Maybe the shiny wouldn't have his hackles raised anymore tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to help my sister with her homework today, so the only thing I could come up with was Hardcase trying to help the newbies in the infirmary while waiting for his broken leg to heal.
> 
> And I've been watching a lot of "Friends" as of lately, so that's where the Ross and Rachel bit came from.  
> Well, "Friends" and "Scrubs", Tbh.


	16. Things you said with no space between us...

It didn't happen often that Kix had the chance to be staring back at Hardcase on top of him.  
Granted, it was more a case of Kix directing the whole thing from beneath but you're gonna take what you were gonna get.

"You're so gorgeous," Kix said, breath coming in quick gasping succession as the pleasure shot through him.  
Kix' hands came up on their own accord, tracing all the ink he could reach, from Hardcase's hips all the way up to his shoulders.

Hardcase gave a breathless chuckle, his body folded foreward as he leaned down to kiss him.  
It was a silent show of love between them.  
Kix didn't need to voice his emotions, as he was able to trace his hands over Hardcase's back in loving caresses, while Hardcase was reduced down to such a mess that he was utterly unable to even voice anything intelligible at all.

It didn't take long for both of them to reach their peak, as they had been teetering around the edge for quite some time now.  
That was the beauty about being on leave, and having retreated into a motel room.  
They had privacy, no real time limit and could honestly do whatever they pleased.

Kix couldn't help the breathless snort that left him, as Hardcase just stayed stretched out on top of him, seemingly unable to move himself.  
He moved his hands in soothing circles along his shoulders, feeling how Hardcase took deep, gasping breaths.  
"Hey," he chuckled, pushing at Hardcase's shoulder until he raised his head.  
Kix couldn't help but snort a laugh at the utterly blazed out look Hardcase had to his eyes.  
"Are you okay?" he asked, and as Hardcase nodded, albeit wobbly, Kix deemed him able to be moved.

Which was what he did, as he turned himself sideways, effectively dislodging the heavier trooper from atop of him.  
Hardcase made a disgruntled sounding noise, once Kix slipped from his body and he hit the mattress next to the medic.  
"Are you really okay?" Kix asked again, still not being able to stop his chuckling, especially as Hardcase gave him quite the quizzical look.  
Without waiting for an answer Kix leaned foreward, pulling Hardcase back up against himself.

He licked into his mouth, humming as he was intercepted halfway and at the feeling of Hardcase's hands gliding up and down his arms.  
Kix didn't knew how long the kiss lasted, he was way too preoccupied with cupping Hardcase's face and fucking his mouth with his tongue.   
Kix would've still gone on, hadn't it been for Hardcase pushing at his collarbone to get some distance between them.  
"I love you," he said breathlessly once he could get enough air into his lungs to form words.

Kix smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling settling into his stomach.  
Resting his hands onto Hardcase's chest, he leaned forward to plant a way softer kiss then before against his lips. "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was there any doubt that this prompt would yield anything else but smut?


	17. Things you said that I wish you hadn't...

It was all falling apart, their whole relationship, and Kix had no one else to blame but himself.  
He had been the one to be swayed by Fives' constant flirting, it had been Kix that had kissed the ARC. Sure, he had stopped before it could go any further, but even Kix knew that this kiss had been enough of a hit into Hardcase's face as it was.  
Jesse hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut, and Kix had known that was only a matter of time.   
On some level he was even thankfull that Jesse had seen the kiss happen, because he honestly didn't knew if he would've been able to be honest with Hardcase himself.  
Kix had been envisioning how Hardcase would be reacting ever since Jesse had cornered him two days ago. 

At the end of the day his imagination held nothing at all on reality.

„Hardcase, Hardcase,“ Kix hurried after him, holding him back with a hand on his wrist, „I'm sorry okay. I never meant for that kiss to happen.“  
Hardcase snorted. „Kiss,“ he hissed disdainful, „That's what you're calling it now?“  
Kix frowned. „What do you mean?“  
„Don't try to deny it!“ Hardcase growled, „Jesse told me everything.“  
„Jesse told you what?!“  
„That you and Fives slept together!“

Kix flinched back at his intensity. This outburst was so unlike Hardcase it actually scared him.  
The tears glittering in the others eyes, however, weren't that surprising.  
„I- I didn't--“  
„Don't lie to me,“ Hardcase hissed, tears now openly running down his cheeks, „Don't you dare lie to me, Kix.“

Hardcase raised his hands, pressing them over his eyes to hide his tears, but to no avail.  
Kix felt a thick lump forming in his throat, a sick feeling settling into his stomach.  
He wanted to touch Hardcase, do something to give some sort of comfort, but Hardcase just shook his hand off.  
„Don't!“ he growled.  
„I- we didn't!-“ Kix struggled to speak through the lump in his throat, „It wasn't the way you think.“  
„So? And what do I think!?“ Hardcase asked, choking on his own sobs.  
„I-“ Kix started, not being able to help himself as he impulsively reached for one of Hardcase's hands to pull it back from his face. „It didn't went that far. Okay, we kissed, I- it even went a bit further, but-“  
Hardcase pulled back as soon as the last sentence came over Kix' lips. 

„But I stopped as soon as I realized where we were heading!“ Kix stepped after him quickly.  
„Well, how nice of you,“ Hardcase hissed, eyeing Kix' hand as if it was something disgusting.  
„Hardcase,“ Kix pleaded, „I didn't mean for that to happen.“  
„Well it did!“ Hardcase yelled.

At that moment, Kix had never seen anyone more regal than Hardcase, not even Ahsoka at her most imperious could match this.   
Hardcase was hurt, human, humiliated, and tired, but at this moment he was beautiful with the simple dignity of a man who was climbing back to his feet after taking an emotional hit.

„I'm sorry, okay,“ Kix pleaded, and Hardcase suddenly looked so utterly drained.  
„Yeah, me too.“

That left them in silence, a silence that was utterly deafening and Kix couldn't stand it.  
„Look, I'm not asking you to believe me,“ he growled through clenched teeth.  
Feeling physically hurt, knowing he had fucked up a perfectly good thing, all by himself.  
„I don't even ask you to forgive me.“  
„Good,“ Hardcase huffed, wiping his eyes with his left hand, Kix still having a hold of his right one, „'cause I'm not going to.“

Kix nodded, he fully understood. „I'll make sure to not bother you anymore.“  
However what Hardcase said then surprised him.  
„I don't want you to,“ Hardcase said, turning his hand so he could entwine their fingers, „Besides, I still got your vest in the wash.“

Kix stood there with his mouth agape and eyes hug, it took him longer then it should have to understand what Hardcase had just said.  
„I guess that vest isn't white anymore, huh?“ he finally managed.  
„No,“ Hardcase agreed, „and it never will be, but...“ he hummed, while pulling Kix a little closer until he could easily rest against him, „maybe I'll be able to overlook that.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been sitting on my laptop for about a year now. I wrote this as I was on a Medicopter 117 binge.  
> And since that is a german tv show I kinda had to carry over the idiom of a 'white vest' (eine weiße Weste haben), in english it is akin to 'having a clean slate'. The white vest idiom just worked better for me.


	18. Things you said when you were scared...

The gas was approaching, and that fast; too fast.  
"Krif!" Jesse cursed as there was a sudden shove from behind himself, that send him stumbling through the airlock.  
"What are you doing?" Hardcase exclaimed, who soon followed him through the door that was then closed behind them.

It had been Kix that had shoved them both through the doors, and then closed them behind them.  
"Kix. What is this?" Hardcase snapped, trying to open the door again, but it refused to budge; Kix had effectively jammed it in place.  
"Hardcase, calm down. It's gonna be fine," Kix said, though it was hard to understand through the door, his helmet, and the gas now billowing all around him.

"No," Hardcase exclaimed, his voice had started to slide into a panicked, high pitched yell, as he scraped at the door and the control panel, but to no avail.  
„What is this,“ Hardcase hissed heated, „You playing the hero?“  
"Would like to know that too," Resol agreed, who was standing next to Kix.  
"I needed to close those doors,“ Kix explained, seemingly trying to avoid Hardcase's gaze, „There wasn't enough time.“ 

"Bantha shit," Hardcase snapped, hitting the glass that was seperating them, "Open the doors, Kix!"  
"Erm, Hardcase, he can't," Jesse said, laying a hand onto his batchmates shoulder. He could feel just how badly Hardcase was shaking.

"You'll see, it's gonna be fine," Kix tried to assure Hardcase, though Jesse could hear a slight bit of uncertainty in Kix' voice.  
"I don't wanna loose you," Hardcase said, his voice a low growl.  
And it was a good thing that Jesse and Resol had already noticed that Hardcase had taken a shining to Kix, and the feelings seemed to be mutual, else this exchange would be turning awkward right now.

"And you aren't going to," Kix said, he sounded way more self-assured then he should be. "The general's gonna find a cure for this, you'll see."  
"You know, I really hope that you're right," Resol said, sounding extremely bored with the situation for some reason.  
"Of course I am," Kix snorted confidently, and Jesse felt a stab in his stomach, as he questioned if that confidence wasn't misplaced.  
"Guys, just get to the surface," Kix said, before reaching up to his helmet.  
"What are you doing?" Hardcase snapped, stepping closer to the door and hitting the glass as if that would stop Kix. "Kix stop."

"It's gotten inside anyways," Resol said, taking his helmet off as well.  
Within the blink of an eye Hardcase had taken his helmet off too, and Jesse followed a bit hesitantly.  
"What if you are wrong?" Hardcase demanded, "what if there won't be a cure."  
"Then I'll at least know that I got you guys out," Kix said.

"Oh, and what am I?" Resol snorted, "expendable?"  
Kix rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean, Resol. We are still of use, but those two might as well just get out."  
"I know," Resol said, grinning and patting Kix' shoulder, "just wanted you to say it."

"Why are you so calm," Hardcase asked, his voice had gotten really quiet, and he stared at the two medics with utter incomprehension.  
"Well, at this point, we might as well be dead man walking," Resol shrugged.

Jesse could see how the shock washed over Hardcase's face.  
"You can't die," he growled, now sounding more like his normal self.  
"We aren't going to, Hardcase," Kix said, throwing Resol a disgruntled glare before reaching up to put his hand on the glass as a show of reasurrance, "they won't just let us die down here."

"Now, come on, Hardcase," Jesse said, trying to give his voice a relaxed sound, and laying his arm around Hardcase's shoulders, "You do trust the general don't you."  
Hardcase, who had raised his arm to rest his hand against the glass, just where Kix' hand was laying, nodded, albeit slowly.  
"See," Jesse clapped his shoulder, "now come on, lets get out of here."  
"Just go," Kix nodded, as Hardcase refused to be moved, "we're gonna be fine, Hardcase."  
Kix was the one to turn first, as he layed a arm around Resol's shoulders, before they both walked off down the hallway.

Hardcase, however, took as long as Kix needed to be swallowed up by the swathes of gas, before he finally moved.  
"If he dies, Jesse," Hardcase said grimly, "I don't think I'd know what to do."  
"You aren't gonna do anything," Jesse said decidedly, as he pushed Hardcase off the door and down the hall toward the exit of this damn lab, "because they aren't gonna die. Kix is right. The general won't just let them die down here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea has been in my head ever since I watched season 1 episodes 17 and 18.  
> It went through some pairings but then I finally settled on Kixcase, once I really started shipping them.


	19. Things you said when we were the happiest we ever were...

Hardcase honestly couldn't believe his own luck. He had finally used his naturally given backbone, manned up and told Kix that he loved him.

_„I... think I'm in love with you,“ Hardcase admitted, wringing his hands in his lap. „I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you,“ he mumbled, blushing under Kix' gaze.  
„You sure about that,“ Kix asked, turning Hardcase's head so he'd have to look at him.  
Hardcase huffed a breath, his nerves clearly visible. „Pretty sure, yeah.“_

_Kix couldn't stop the huge smile from spreading across his face, as he leaned foreward to plant a kiss on the others lips.  
„I love you too,“ he sighed.  
Hardcase hesitated. „Really?“ he asked, a hopefull smile starting to spread over his lips._

_Kix couldn't help himself, he started laughing. Started laughing right into Hardcase's face, wich might be the reason why Hardcase frowned and pulled back a little.  
„Of course,“ Kix gasped, not getting enough air in between his bursts of laughter, „Of course I Love you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me.“  
That made Hardcase's blush deepen into an almost crimson red.   
„You....You-“ he nervously rubbed at his neck, „You really!?“_

That was the reason they didn't quite manage to keep their hands off each other.  
Whatever was going on Hardcase would find a way to sneak his hand onto Kix' back, and Kix would find a way to slip his hand into Hardcase's.

„You are disgusting,“ Jesse scoffed, eyeing them with mock disgust.  
Kix was leaning against Hardcase's back, his arms slung around Hardcase's body, hugging him close against his chest and smooching on his neck.  
„Yo mama's disgusting,“ Hardcase countered.  
It wasn't his best work by far, but he was too preoccupied with turning his head and kissing Kix after all.

„We don't even have a mother,“ Jesse said, rolling his eyes.  
„Unless you mean commander tano,“ Fives commented, who joined their little group, „In that case I would feel offended that you insulted our mother.“

„Don't listen to them,“ Kix hummed, letting go of Hardcase, only to take his hand and pull him after himself. „Come on, I'm gonna show you something.“  
Jesse laughed at the look Kix threw him over his shoulder, he knew that look very well; Hardcase wouldn't be back until tomorrow.   
„And now you are corrupting the shinys,“ Jesse yelled after them, though there was humor in his words.  
Kix turned his head, tapping his forehead with an expression between amusement and annoyance.

„What is supposed to corrupt us?“ Dogma asked confused, looking after the retreating forms of Hardcase and Kix.  
„Kix and Hardcase sitting in a tree~“ Jesse singsonged, wiggling his eyebrows, as Fives  
snorted a laugh.  
„And just when I thought nothing interesting was happening around here,“ Fives said.

„What is going on?“ Tup asked, he also looked after Hardcase and Kix with an expression of utter confusion. Both shinys seemed to not understand what the older trooper were eluding to.  
„Didn't you hear what Jesse just said?“ Fives asked.  
Tup spluttered embarrassed, cheeks flushing red. „T-That song meant something? N-no, I didn't catch it.“


	20. Things you said that I wasn't meant to hear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another bit of the First Responder AU.

Hardcase thrummed his fingers on the doorframe while he waited for Kix to open the door.  
„Hey,“ he started as the door swung open, but trailed off again as he saw who had answered the door. Because he wasn't looking at Kix, who would be on eye level with him, but at a teenaged boy, with a head of tousled black hair.  
Hardcase was so surprised that he couldn't bring out any noise, he just stood there opening and closing his mouth like a fish cought on land.

„Senson, who's at the door?“ he heard Kix' voice call from within the house.  
„I don't know,“ the kid yelled back, keeping his brown eyes trained on Hardcase.  
Hardcase heard approaching footsteps, then Kix stepped into the doorway.   
„Hardcase,“ he said surprised, „W-What are you doing here?“

„I-“ Hardcase started, his throat dry as the desert. He swallowed and tried again, „I have the weekend off and thought I'd surprise you.“  
Kix nodded, his hand coming to rest on the boys shoulder.   
Senson looked back at Kix, then at Hardcase, then back at Kix.   
„Who is that, dad?“ he asked and Hardcase felt as if somebody had punched him in the stomach.

„Dad?“ he echoed in a miserable, tiny voice.  
„Erm, Yeah,“ Kix said slowly. „That is Hardcase,“ he said, though it sounded more like him bursting out some air caught in his lungs.   
Senson seemed to seize him up. „The one you're dating?“ he asked and Hardcase choked lightly on the air he was breathing at Senson's boldnes.

Though, considering Kix was his father, it shouldn't be surprising at all.  
„Yeah,“ Kix huffed, rubbing his eyes, and, going by his exasperated tone, he wasn't liking the progress of the conversation, at all, „I don't know that many Hardcase's.“  
Senson nodded, crossing his arms in front of his chest.  
„Didn't he work for the fire defartment,“ he asked and Hardcase couldn't help the choked up laugh that left him, upon hearing the kids slight lisp. 

„Oh, yeah, dePartment,“ Senson grumbled, rolling his eyes.  
„Stupid braces,“ he hissed, waving his casted right hand and stomping off up the stairs.

„You wanna come in?“ Kix asked, and Hardcase realized that he had just been standing there and staring at the door Senson had disappeard behind.  
He shook his head to clear it, before nodding and following Kix into his house. 

„Since when do you have a kid?“ he hissed, pointing at the door to Senson's room that displayed a old Star Wars Episode VI poster and some Texas Rangers stickers.  
„He's fifteen,“ Kix said as a matter of explanation  
„Where did he came from?“ Hardcase asked, and even to him this wording sounded awefull. „Who's his mother I mean.“

„Mischa,“ Kix said curtly.  
„Your ex,“ Hardcase asked, remembering faintly how Kix had once mentioned his ex and then quickly clamped shut about her again.  
„The one that died in the seven car pileup, yeah“ Kix nodded.

„That would be such a cool name for a band,“ Hardcase said, despite himself, because it was the truth.   
„Yeah,“ Kix sighed, rubbing his forehead, „It actually is the name of Mirek's band.“  
Absentminded he pointed at a door that held an Iron Maiden Poster and even more Texas Rangers Sticker.  
Then his eyes widened, once he realized what he had said and that Hardcase was staring at him with a uncomprehending expression.

„Fuck,“ he huffed, before he raised his arms and rested his hands in the back of his head. „Erm, I kind of have two sons,“ he said slowly.  
That was the moment Hardcase brain short circuited.

„How about a drink and I'll explain it,“ Kix offered, pointing him at the couch, and Hardcase took up that offer immediately.  
While he sat on the couch, waiting for Kix to come back, the front door banged open with such a force Hardcase could feel the vibrations of the floor boards as far back as the living room.

„But why would I even have your bass,“ a voice yelled, shortly followed by Kix snapping, „Mirek. How often do I have to tell you not to bang the door.“  
„I didn't bang the damn door,“ the voice replied, „Was Sirca.“  
„And there is no cussing in this fucking house!“ Kix exclaimed.

Hardcase heard snickering, then two boys ran past the door to the living room that looked to be about Senson's age.   
One of them had the same black hair as Senson, though he was wearing it in that damn hair curtain that was so popular. The other one, that was about a head taller then the black haired one, had long, rusty brown hair that reached his shoulder blades.

„Your dad is crazy,“ the long haired one said in a breathless chuckle, as he followed Mirek up the stairs.  
„Just as crazy as you thinking I have your bass,“ Mirek shot back.  
The door with the Iron Maiden poster crashed open and shut again, and Kix yelled, „Mirek!“  
Then there was the sound of frantically running feet, some crashing and thudding and even more curses.  
„Sorry,“ Kix huffed, standing in the door to the living room and handing him a beer, before the next yell made him throw his head back in annoyance.

„Dad!“  
Senson came jumping down the stairs, struggling to get his shoes onto his feet, and nearly falling down the remainder of the stairs because of it.   
„Mar'i just called. I'ma be off for a bit,“ he gasped, once he rightened himself again at the foot of the stairs.  
„Studying?“ Kix asked, leaning against the doorframe and massaging his forehead.

„Yeah, sure,“ Senson said, though it didn't sound convincing at all.  
The door upstairs banged open and shut again.  
„Why do I have your bass,“ Mirek yelled, before there was the thumbing of two pairs of boots on the stairs again.  
„I think I forgot it here after band practice last saturday,“ his friend said, biting his nails.  
„When we thought we heard Senson and Mar'i-“  
„Mirek!“

This time it wasn't Kix chastising his son but his brother instead.  
„Whahat,“ Mirek groaned, shouldering past his brother to grab a cane that stood leaned against the wall.  
„He doesn't need to know everything,“ Senson hissed, shouldering past Mirek and towards the door.  
„As if he didn't knew already,“ Mirek snorted.

„Oh, in that case you wouldn't mind him knowing what you and Sirca are doing,“ Senson said, only getting louder with each word.  
Mirek shrugged, and his friend, Sirca apparently, leaned over to press a kiss onto his cheek.  
„He already knew,“ Mirek snorted, „Had that talk about two months ago. And how did that go?“

„Was awkward as hell,“ Kix said loudly, putting his bottle down on the table with a loud clang.   
He finally seemed to be reaching his limit, as he turned in the doorframe and walked over to the three boys huddled in the front door.  
Hardcase leaned onto the couche's side rest to better follow their exchange, wanting to know how Kix ultimately dealt with it.

„You two, off,“ Kix said, turned at Mirek and Sirca, who was holding a case, probably with the mysterious missing bass.  
„And you,“ he looked at Senson with a strict expression, „as long as you two use protection I don't care if you and Mar'i are studying or not.“

„Dad,“ Senson spluttered, gaze trained on the doorway into the living room.  
„Come on, Senson,“ Sirca chuckled, grabbing the smaller boys shoulder and pulling him out the door, „You should feel lucky that your dad is this cool. My mother-“  
„Be home before eleven,“ Kix yelled, before he threw the door shut and cut off any and all further noises.

Hardcase sat there, still staring at the doorway, the beer bottle in his hand utterly forgotten, when Kix came back and he hurried to righten himself.  
„Yeah,“ Kix said, grabbing his own bottle, and downing half of it in one pull. „If you want to break up, just tell me now and I'll know why.“

„Break up?“ Hardcase caughed, „Why the- Why would I be breaking up with you?!“  
„Well,“ Kix said, gesticulating around the room.  
„Kix,“ Hardcase chuckled, „That's no reason at all to break up with you.“  
He frowned, once he noticed how guiltily Kix was spinning his beer bottle. „Did you expect me to?“

Kix shrugged. „Has been the reason before,“ he mumbled.  
„Well,“ Hardcase said, laying his arm around Kix' shoulders and pulling him up against his side, „I won't be using it as a reason, okay. And now, start from the beginning. Tell me about your kids.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mirek and Senson are twins Kix had with his ex grilfriend Mischa, Mirek being blind since birth.  
> Kix doesn't talk about his ex much because he was really in love with her and it only didn't work out because she died.  
> His relationship with his son's is a bit distance because he is gone a lot, and the kids stay with Mischa's brother Kuato a lot, who is a bit wack.  
> He also didn't want Hardcase to know about his kids because it has been the reason for several relationships not to work out, not because he isn't proud of his sons.


	21. Thinks you said when we were on top of the world...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have been working a lot on a Harry Potter OC the last days, so have a Hogwarts AU.

Jesse guessed it would've happened at one point or another, as Kix and Hardcase had been orbiting around each other ever since third year.  
It just so happened that those two numb skulls apparently were really damn slow, or just wanted to torture him and the others with all their pining.

Thankfully gryffindor winning the quidditch cup finally gave those two the push they needed.  
Right after the game Kix had pushed his way through the crowds of rejoicing students, only to grab Hardcase and kiss him straight on the mouth, no care given to all the students around them.  
The following months had them both essentially joined at the hip, Kix spending even less time at the slytherin tablt as he already did.

"So, how was your summer?" Fives asked as they met again on platform 9 ¾ after summer break.  
Jesse pulled a face and pointed a finger at his mouth, followed by retching noises.  
"They have been so disgusting over the summer, Fives, you won't believe it. Thank Merlin that Hardcase stayed with Kix for the last two weeks."  
"This bad?" Fives chuckled.  
"I was on the verge of using a silencing charm on them," Jesse said.

"Well, they're both head boys this year, so I at least won't have to watch their snogging on the train," Jesse sighed.  
Fives frowned. "I still don't get how Hardcase managed to become head boy."  
After all, their friend was, at times, just as bad as the Weasley twins.  
"Are you kidding," Jesse snorted, looking over at where his brother was herding a group of first years.  
"Point," Fives conceded with a nodd.

The train ride back to Hogwarts was pretty uneventfull, safe for Malfoy telling everyone that would listen that he had pertinent information they all hadn't.  
That pertinent information turned out to be the triwizard tournament, which was then hottest topic of the following month, until the delegations of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang arrived.

"Did you hear?" Tup asked one morning, "Hevy threw his name into the goblet of fire."  
"As if," Jesse snorted.  
"Echo would never allow that," Fives agreed.  
„As if Hevy would listen to Echo,“ Tup snorted, which, yeah, that was also true.  
The future champions had, of course, been hottest topic for everyone in Hogwarts.  
Well, everyone, safe for Hardcase, who in turn was having some plans of his own.

"Fives, please, I need help," Jesse said one day in the library.  
Fives, who was in the midst of his Arithmancy homework, looked up from his book expectantly.  
"He's going insane," Jesse said, raking his hands over his head.  
"Who is going insane?" Fives asked.  
He hoped immensely that Jesse had a legitemate problem, and wasn't just bugginng him for the hell of it, as he really needed to get these tables done, since Professor Vector had given them quite a lot of homework.

"He wants to ask Kix to marry him," Jesse hissed and Fives spilled the contents of his inkwell all over his parchment.  
Cursing Fives wiped out his wand to clean up the mess. "Hardcase?!" he asked shocked.  
"No, a blast-ended skrewt," Jesse snapped, earning himself a disapproving glare from Madam Pince.

"Why are you so mad about it?" Fives asked, toning down his volume to avoid the strict librarian, "they do fit."  
"Yeah, but," Jesse started, breaking off because he seemed to not know what his argument was. "Hardcase is sixteen."  
"And Kix is seventeen," Fives shrugged, "Plus, Rex and Cody were about the same age when they got engaged."

"Come on," he chuckled as Jesse crossed his arms sulkily, "I doubt they'll be marrying immediately. And Hardcase hasn't asked Kix yet, hasn't he."  
Jesse shook his head.   
"See," Fives grinned, "now either do your own homework or leave me alone."

Hardcase's possible proposal went to the back of their minds over the course of the next weeks, as Harry Potter somehow managed to get entered into the tornament.  
Their houses had been devided before but now it was even worse, though their resident couple didn't seem to care at all.  
Hardcase didn't seem to care about the Hogwarts champion one way or the other, just as Kix ignored Malfoy's 'Potter Stinks' campaign.

They all watched the first task with avid interest, safe for Hardcase and Kix, who seemed to prefer being everywhere else but here watching the champions try and get the golden egg.  
Then there was of course the yule ball, and Hardcase's plan seemed to be taking shape.  
Everyone was stressing about asking their sweethearts to the ball, everyone but Hardcase.  
One day, during study hall, he decided to make his move. 

„I can't just be asking him out,“ Dogma hissed, as Jesse rolled his eyes.  
He was currently trying to encourage Dogma to use his backbone and finally ask Tup out to the ball.  
„Of course you can,“ he insisted, „Has worked for Fives and me just fine.“  
„Yeah, but I'm neither you, nor Fives,“ Dogma said.  
„Hardcase, help me,“ Jesse sighed, nudging his brothers side.

Hardcase, who had followed their exchange, grinned.  
„Dogma, let me show you how it's done,“ he proclaimed, before crumpling up some parchment and tossing it down the table where Kix was sitting next to Denal.  
Kix growled upon this airstrike, only to turn his head slowly and hiss an angered, „What?“  
„You,“ Hardcase said, pointing at Kix, „Ohio. Mambo,“ he moved his upper body in a dancing motion, „Milkman?“

Kix stared at him uncomprehending for a moment, before his face broke into a smile.  
„The yule ball? Sure,“ he grinned, before turning back to Denal.  
„Hah,“ Hardcase chuckled, proclaiming his victory as he wiggled his eyebrows at them. „Bing!“  
„That's not helpfull at all,“ Dogma exclaimed, tearing at his hair in frustration.  
Jesse rubbed his forehead, but could not help the laughter breaking free from his chest.

At the end of the day they all managed to man up and ask their crushes out, which left them all in pretty high spirits at the evening of the ball.  
Hevy and Echo would probably be needed to be seperated with a charm or a crowbar, Fives mused, while Tup and Dogma endangered everyone on the dancefloor.  
Jesse, however, had fully slipped Fives, who wondered if he was even having a date with his fellow gryffindor.

„Where have you been?“ he hissed, once he managed to corner Jesse at the buffet.  
„I think he's going to ask him,“ Jesse whispered back, not diverting his gaze from where he was staring Hardcase and Kix down.   
The two of them were dancing just as closely, if not closer, than Echo and Hevy.  
They were closely entwined and with his head layed on Kix' shoulder, Hardcase had the perfect opportunity to talk into Kix' ear.

And despite being a bit pissed, Fives still turned to follow Jesse through the great hall, eyes glued to their resident lovebirds.  
Half an hour later and Kix' face broke with such a broad smile, that it was a surprise his ears didn't fall off.

„He asked!“ Jesse hissed, grabbing Fives' arm in a vice-like grip.  
„Ouch,“ Fives whined, „shut up. Shut up!“  
Thankfully they didn't seem to've been heared, as Kix continued to focus on Hardcase.  
Ten minutes later Jesse's suspicion was confirmed, as Hardcase jumped up to him to tell him that Kix had said yes.

The night was even better after that, as they all turned to celebrate their friends engagement.  
It also made the rest of the year more bearable, even the shocking end of the tornament, and the supposed return of 'you know who'.

That fact alone encouraged Hardcase to not waste any time with the engagement, as he persuaded Kix to get married a mere month after they both had graduated from Hogwarts.  
Jesse, of course, was asked to be best man, and Tup made a load of pictures during the ceremony and ensuing party.

That was all that remained now.

Hardcase was killed a year after they got married.  
Fives suspected it to be the work of a death eater, but, of course, his superiors didn't want to hear it.   
Only months later, Fives was killed as well.  
Rex risked his own neck to get to the bottom of it all, against the orders of his superiors, while Jesse watched as Kix slipped more and more as the months went on, until he disappeared one day. 

And all that remained after that, was a photo album and the memories Jesse still had of them.  
Kix had been so sweet in his vows, moving Hardcase, and everyone else for that matter, to tears, and Hardcase thereafter, had spend the better part of the evening whispering sweet nothings into Kix' ear, while they slow danced.  
Back then they had been on top of the world.  
But, as high up as you are, as deep you will fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After Hogwarts Fives, Jesse and Rex all started to work as Aurors, while Kix worked at St. Mungo's and Hardcase did art.  
> Hardcase was, in fact, killed by a death eater, and Fives stumbled upon a conspiracy against the ministry, that ultimately got him and Kix killed.
> 
> The part "Ohio, mambo, milkman", is taken from a coldmirror movie (Harry Potter and the goblet of plastic) and was how Fred asked Angelina out to the ball.  
> It just seemed like such a Hardcase thing to me.


	22. Things you said after it was over...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a sequel to chapter 7, but it wasn't planned like that.

In the end sheer force of will hadn't been enough to keep their relationship alive.  
Jesse had been right, Kix hadn't been willing to quit his job, not even for Hardcase, and Hardcase hadn't been able to hold them together.

The aftermath was a nightmare.  
Hardcase was a straight up mess for about a month, while Kix decided to put himself down for another deployment and just up and left for half a year.  
It was sad to watch to be honest.   
They did manage to get Hardcase out of his funk, but he also didn't seem eager to put himself back out there.

„Don't you think it'd be good to put yourself back out there?“ Fives asked one evening, as they were hanging around their favorite bar.  
Hardcase, however, shook his head.  
„Leave him alone,“ Jesse sighed, putting a hand onto Fives' upper arm as his boyfriend leaned toward Hardcase again.   
„Why?“ Fives asked, „He needs to get back out there.“

Jesse shook his head. „He isn't over him.“  
And if Fives was being honest he could see it, Hardcase was far from over Kix, and, if he believed Echo, Kix was also far from over Hardcase.  
Looked like those two needed to be pushed toward their happiness. Or more like, Kix needed to be forced to do what was good for him. 

„I swear if this doesn't work,“ Fives grumbled, „I'm gonna bash this idiots brains in.“  
Jesse might be one of Kix' best friends, which was why he had a spare key to Kix' apartment, but even he had to agree that Kix needed a good talking to, which was what they were here to do.

Kix and the others had gotten back to the states a few weeks ago, but Kix hadn't returned to the city until last friday, and then they still decided to give him the weekend, before they were gonna descend upon him. 

„You know, I think I should be playing the lottery,“ Kix snorted, once he saw them coming through the door, „I had actually expected you two to be showing up.“  
„You know what, Kix, choke on it,“ Jesse said, he was not at all in the mood for joking.  
After all Kix was the reason that his baby brother had a shattered heart.

„Don't you think this was just as hard on me, as it was on Hardcase?“ Kix grumbled, switching his seat from the couch to the armchair so he wouldn't have to sit next to either of them.  
„I actually couldn't care less,“ Jesse said coldly, as he took a seat on the couch, before Fives had even finished closing the door.

„I don't get it,“ Jesse said, „You had such a good thing going on with Hardcase, and I don't just say that because he's my brother, and then you just go and blow it all up.“  
„He knew beforehand what he was getting into,“ Kix said, sounding more then a bit annoyed with having to repeat what he had been saying from the very beginning, for the felt hundredth time.   
„And it is not like we're the only military couple around here. Echo and Hevy both make it work.“

„And you knew beforehand who you were getting involved with,“ Fives said, laying a calming hand onto Jesse's shoulder from behind the couch, as he noticed his boyfriend getting heated again.  
„You knew what kind of a guy Hardcase is. Hell, we all know that he just wants to get married, adopt a few kids and start a family.“  
„And the corps is in the way of that?“   
„If you want something long lasting with Hardcase,“ Jesse said, „then I'm afraid it's one or the other. And let me tell you one thing,“ his eyes were all hard as he said, „I won't be idly sitting around and watch you fuck Hardcase all over again.“

With that being said Jesse got up and went straight back out the apartment.  
„Sorry,“ Fives hurried to say, „You know he can get overprotective.“  
„No,“ Kix said, letting his head fall foreward to rest in his hands, „No. He's right.“

Which braught them all to now, into their favorite bar, after half of their friends had gotten off for the weekend.  
Jesse didn't look too happy as Kix joined them, but did concede that he was still friends with most of them. He did try to prevent Hardcase from going off with Kix, but was stopped by Fives.

„What do you think you're doing?“ Jesse hissed, trying to shake Fives' hand off.  
„He is old enough to decide for himself,“ Fives said, pulling him back into his lap, „Now sit and drink.“  
Jesse pulled a face. „You can console him this time.“  
„Deal.“

„It is nice seeing you again,“ Hardcase said awkward, once they stepped out of the bar.  
Kix nodded, rubbing a hand down his face.  
„Look,“ he started, but was interrupted as Hardcase flung his arms around him, pulling him into a bone crushing hug.  
„I thought I'd never see you again,“ Hardcase said in a small voice.  
„No worries there, I was always planning to come back,“ Kix chuckled.  
„I'm sorry,“ Hardcase said, pulling back from him, „I shouldn't have been asking you to give up all your ambitions just because-“   
„No,“ Kix said decidedly, „No. It is my fault.“

„I don't want you to stop what you're doing because of me,“ Hardcase said, shaking his head and backing up a step.  
„I am not,“ Kix said, „this has been the plan from the very beginning.“  
„Then why were you all pissed about me asking you to get out of the corps,“ Hardcase shot back, now looking quite pissed.

„Because me leaving the corps is my decision to make, no one else's,“ Kix countered.  
„And you couldn't have told me that back then?!“ Hardcase exclaimed.  
Kix threw his hands up. „I was pissed, okay? You were meddling around with my job. Jesse was bugging me about getting serious with you. I couldn't decide what I wanted more, you or my career. It just seemed way easier to tell you something nasty and run for the hills. But,“ he looked at him with such a lost expression that Hardcase was almost ready to take pitty, „You just wouldn't get out of my head. Then Hevy started with all that talk about running off with Echo to Vegas and getting married, and,“ he shrugged, falling silent.

That silence lasted for quite some time between them.  
„So,“ Hardcase huffed, breaking the silence, „what is this now?“  
„I'm out,“ Kix said and Hardcase's eyes went huge at that revelation, „I'm back in residency.“  
Another bout of silence.

„And you,“ Hardcase started, snorting a humorless laugh, „you think you're just gonna come back here, tell me that and I'll be immediately coming back to you?“  
„No!“ Kix shook his head, „I know I fucked up really bad, but,“ he huffed a breath, grabbing Hardcase's hands and rubbing his thumbs down his wrists, „maybe, you could let me try making it right again.“  
And that's what did it for Hardcase.

„I knew it,“ Jesse growled, watching the two through the windows of the bar, „Kix sweet talks him and Hardcase just eats it all up.“  
„I don't know,“ Fives shrugged, „maybe it's really love between them.“  
Jesse snorted. „I'm telling you, if he hurts him again, you'll have to help me bury a body.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kix had bee planning to get out of the corps after a certain amount of time and get back into residency, but the whole fight with Hardcase had him utterly forget that, in favor of just running away.


	23. Things you said on the streetcar at 1am...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a bit of a College AU.  
> Was inspired by a german meme I found on youtube.

"I need to get back to the dorms in, like, an hour ago," Echo cursed as he darted through the door of the streetcar.  
"Why don't you just crash at my place," Hevy asked, rubbing his boyfriends shoulders, "dorms closed an hour ago anyways."

"Wait, what time is it?" Echo asked.  
"1 am," Tup supplied, looking at his wrist watch.  
"Oh fuck," Echo cursed, "well yeah, I'd have to. Looks like I don't have much of a choice."  
"If it's such torture staying with me," Hevy hummed, grinning.  
"Aw, shut it," Echo huffed, slapping his boyfriends face lightly.

"I don't know why I even agreed to this," Echo huffed, as he sat down next to Hevy, with Tup and Denal opposite to them, "I'll probably be way too hungover tomorrow to even do research for my essay."  
Echo flailed about a bit like a child throwing a tantrum, as Hevy pulled him closer against his side.  
"You needed a bit of a break anyways," Hevy hummed, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah," Denal agreed, "you've been impossible the last couple of weeks."  
Before Echo could object Tup burst out laughing. "Hardcase what are you doing?"  
"I'm trying to get laid," and that response alone had Echo turn his head, to be looking in the same direction as Tup.

Hardcase stood at the very back window of the streetcar they were in, looking into the streetcar that was linked to theirs.  
He held up a hand, showing three fingers, and also repeating the number loud and semi-clear.  
Echo frowned and turned in his seat, only to see a guy at the window of the streetcar behind them, mobile in hand.

"Erm, nine," Hardcase said, holding up nine fingers, "nine, five. Wait no!" he held up his hands as if he was signalling a time out, "Four. Two."  
A moment later Hardcase's phone rang with that damn annoying 70's song he used as a ring tone.  
"Please tell me you are the hot guy riding in the streetcar behind us," Hardcase said as way of answering his phone.

A moment of silence, then Hardcase was jumping around excitedly.  
"Yes! So, erm, what's your name?" he asked. "Kix. Sounds interesting. My name is Hardcase. Listen, erm, which stop are you getting off?"  
Echo exchanged a wide-eyed look with Denal upon hearing that.

"Wow, wow, buddy," Denal said, as he got up and staggered over to Hardcase.  
"You aren't going off with a guy you met in between streetcars," he said, making a grab for Hardcase's phone.  
"I'm old enough to know what's good for me, Denal,“ Hardcase cursed, backing away. "No, no, that's just a buddy of mine," he said into his phone, "he's worried you're gonna rape me, cut me up and than bury me in your backyard."

He listened for a moment, before turning to Denal.  
"See," Hardcase said, a slight slurr to his voice, "he doesn't have a backyard."  
"Not the point, Hardcase," Denal huffed, grabbing the phone out of Hardcase's hand and putting it on speaker.

"Okay, listen here buddy, we're all way too drunk, and it is way too late. I'm not gonna let my friend go off with you."  
Kix' answer was a soft chuckle. _"I wouldn't have asked that anyways. I just came off a ten hour shift, only thing I wanne get to is my bed.“_  
"But I could make that bed even better when I'm in it," Hardcase countered and Kix laughed again.

 _"To be honest, I would really like that,"_ he said, and laughed at the horrified expression on Denal's face, _"but I think you'd be enjoying that much more when you're sober. Tell you what, tomorrow is my day off, you sleep off your hangover and we'll get together then. Eh?"_  
"But I want someone to cuddle with tonight," Hardcase whined.  
"You can cuddle with me," Denal said curtly, "he is down with it. Where do you guys wanne meet?"

 _"How about the 'Rusty Revolver'?"_ Kix asked, _"is a coffee shop of a friend."_  
"Never heard of that," Denal said warily.  
 _"I have a flyer,"_ Kix said.  
The streetcar stopped and Kix dashed out of the door, over the pavement of the station and straight into their streetcar.

"Okay, didn't expect that, but I'm not complaining," Hevy chuckled as he watched the scene unfold.  
And if Echo was being honest, the only thing that was missing right now was some popcorn.

"Dude, you look even hotter up close," Hardcase said, staring at the guy as if he was a ancient roman statue or something.  
"Well thanks. And you're not exactly ugly yourself," Kix said, making Hardcase giggle like some kind of stupid school girl.

Kix handed him the flyer, and they agreed to meet at the coffee shop, the next day at around 4pm.  
"Well, then, was nice meeting you, Hardcase," Kix said as they reached his stop. "See you tomorrow." And with that said he stepped out of the streetcar and into the cold winter night.

"I could've gotten laid tonight, Denal, what the fuck," Hardcase still complained as the streetcar started moving again.  
"I'm your friend," Denal said handing Hardcase back his phone, "It's my job to make sure you aren't killed by a serial killer. I know, I know,“ he said, holding up his hands, „he may not have been a serial killer, but I watch SVU and that shit happens."


	24. Things you said with clenched fists...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short little High School theater AU, that was a bit inspired by Suck Me Shakespeer.  
> And now that I think about it, I should probably do a fic that has a similiar plot to that movie.

„To be, or not to be,“ Hardcase said, dramatically raising his hand, waving his fist about, „that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune-“  
„Erm, Hardcase, it's really nice that you learned that speech, but you're in the wrong play,“ Miss Amidala said, while massaging her forehead.

„I know, I know,“ Hardcase said, chuckling under his breath, „just wanted to make sure that everybody knows why I got the part.“  
He threw a loaded glance over at Fives, who pulled a face at him.  
Just because he didn't have that much of a talent for the stage as his classmate had, Hardcase was being all smug about it. As if being stagehand was anything less.

„If you continue glaring daggers at him like that, he'll drop dead before Banquo is even supposed to die,“ a voice said and Fives rolled his eyes as Cutup came up next to him.   
„Safe it Cutup, I don't wanna hear it,“ he grumbled, because Cutup had recently started to play Oprah Winfrey, trying to mend all their relationships.  
„I'm just saying,“ Cutup hummed with a knowing smile, „either make your move, or hold your horses.“

Which _'make your move'_ was easier said than done, as the person he was crushing on was in a relationship with Hardcase, who was the brother of his best friend, and Cutup knew that.  
„And I don't wanna see any attempts at sabotage either,“ Cutup said, throwing him a sidelong glance from where he was inspecting the fake leaves on the trees.

He was taking his job as stage manager really seriously, to the point where even their theater teacher was getting weary of him.  
„Me?“ Fives asked, looking around the curtains of the stage to watch the others rehearse, „Never.“

„If you can see the future and say how things will turn out, tell me,“ Hardcase just said, turned at the three witches, „I don't want your favors and I'm not afraid of your hatred.“  
Which, yeah sure, he surely wasn't afraid of the third witch, as he was being portrayed by his boyfriend.

They had only three girls in their play this year, to cover five female parts, and with Ahsoka and Barris playing Lady Macbeth and Lady Macduff respectively, they had to improvise a bit.  
Akir played the other small female parts, while also portraying witch number two.  
The other two witches were played by Tup, who with the right makeup and stiling could be pass of as female, and Kix, who had no right to look that good in a wig.

„Hardcase, tune down the hands, alright,“ Miss Amidala called, as Hardcase was waving his hands about again.   
He might be able to memorize nearly all the text of the play with ease, but he still had a tendency to overact his part, and the way he did it also made him look like more of an enraged italian mobster than Macbeth's right hand men.  
„Sorry,“ Hardcase said hurried, repeating his last lines, „I don't want your favors and I'm not afraid of your hatred.“

„Hail!“ Tup proclaimed, throwing up his arms.  
„Hail!“ Akir echoed, doing the same.  
„Hail!“ Kix ended.  
„You are lesser than Macbeth but also greater,“ Tup said, walking closer toward Hardcase and Rex.  
„You are not as happy as Macbeth, yet much happier,“ Akir agreed.  
„Your descendants will be kings, even though you will not be one. So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!“ Kix ended.

„Good,“ Miss Amidala cheered, as Hardcase finally seemed to hit his stride, „that was way better.“  
They finished the scene, Miss Amidala browsing through her copy of the play.  
„Okay, let's do Act 1, Scene 7 next. Rex, Ahsoka, I hope you finally got your lines down.“  
Rex grumbled under his breath. As opposed to Hardcase, who had no problem memorizing his lines, Rex had a way harder time. During this scene alone he had needed help from their promter on more then one occasion.

„You know, it's sad that Banquo didn't fall in love with witch number three and eloped with her to make a bunch of little witch kings.“  
Fives rolled his eyes, fake retching as Hardcase and Kix joined them backstage.  
„Maybe that can be part of our reimagining of the play,“ Cutup said, trying to distract the two from Fives' sour mood.  
„Yeah, maybe Banquo can be an italian mobster in that,“ Fives grumbled under his breath, copying the way Hardcase had moved his hands on stage. 

And it hurt so much to have Kix glare at him like that, but Fives just couldn't help himself.  
It hurt even more to watch Kix' gaze soften instantly as he looked at Hardcase.  
„You know what Fives, that's not even that bad of an idea,“ he grinned, „After all, Suck Me Shakespeer, right?“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akir is an OC that belongs into the whole Alekto story I'm continuing to work on.


	25. Things you said in the backseat of a cab...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright this chapter was one hard nut.  
> First idea was another drunk chapter but, let's be real, I've already had enough of those.  
> Than I, incidentally, watched the Jason Bourne trailer yesterday and the dialoge a generator gave me also kinda fit with what my brain was cooking up, and... that's how we ended up here.

It should've been a normal day like every other for Tig, just riding his cab, driving businessmen and -woman all around town.  
But who would've guessed that this day would be ending with a guy pointing a gun in his face, forcing him out of his cab before proceding to steal it, with another fellow in toe.

"Would you please finally explain to me what is going on?!" Hardcase hissed, once Kix had merged the cab back into traffic.  
Kix however still refused to say anything.  
Since he had essentially dragged him out of the firehouse, which was why he was still halfway in uniform, his boyfriend had refused to say anything.  
Which was kind of concerning, especially since Kix was carying a gun and had just carjacked a cab.

"Have an eye on the cars behind us, will you?" Kix asked, and that was another thing that Hardcase really didn't like to hear.  
"Why should I-"  
"Just do it!" Kix snapped before Hardcase could even finish his sentence.  
And in light of the firearm Kix was carying, and the short temper he was displaying Hardcase did as he was told without further prompting

"I haven't been entirely honest with you," Kix said after a moment of silence while he weaved his way through traffic, "I'm not really an EMT but I'm kinda sorta working for the FBI."  
"Kinda sorta," Hardcase asked, taking his eyes off the rear window to stare at Kix in the rearview mirror.

"Keep your eyes on the traffic," Kix snapped and, flinching, Hardcase turned back to the task he had been given.  
"Long story short, we've been watching the local PD for about a year and a half now" Kix explained, taking a right turn.  
"Wait, wait,“ Hardcase said, only now catching up, „You aren't even an EMT!?"  
He kept a close eye on the black car behind them, that had now also taken a right turn, it had been there for a about five streets now.

"Well, I was, when I was in the military, but that was years ago," Kix said, taking a sudden left turn.  
"Wait. You were in the military?" Hardcase cursed as he was thrown against the door.  
The black car behind them also took a left turn.   
"Also, there's a black Sedan behind us that's been following us for about ten minutes now."

He saw Kix take a look into the rearview mirror. "Doesn't have any government plates. But keep an eye on it."  
That was about the time Hardcase had enough.  
"Alright, No," he cursed, turning so that he was facing the driver's seat of the cab, "first you're gonna tell me what's going on here, Kix."

"Hardcase we don't have time for- watch the traffic!"  
"Than multitask," Hardcase snapped back, turning back around.  
The black Sedan had fallen behind and stopped at a traffic light behind them, it was sitting in the turn lane.  
Hardcase breathed a sigh of relieve once the Sedan was gone, sadly overlooking the police cruiser that merged into a lane a few cars behind them.

"Alright, it's like this. I'm the go-between Fives and the bureau-"  
"Wait, how is Fives involved in all this?"  
There was a small, amused snort from Kix. "He's the one that's actually undercover inside the PD."  
"Holy shit," Hardcase snorted a laugh, rubbing his aching head, "next thing you're probably gonna tell me that Tup is actually a woman."  
"Not that I know of," Kix chuckled.

"Anyways, Fives called me yesterday because he thought he had finally gotten to the bottom of it all. He wanted to meet with me, but shortly before we were about to he called and instead directed me to pick up this at the train station."   
He held up the backpack that he'd been carying around all throughout the day.  
"I'm not quite sure what exactly went wrong, but I haven't been able to get into contact with him since."

"Kix," Hardcase said slowly, he had just noticed the police cruiser merging into the lane behind them, "What is in the backpack and what did Fives call you about?"  
"He was sure that his department was laundering money for and being in cahoots with a corrupt senator," Kix said, before his eyes caught onto his in the rearview mirror.

"Aha, okay," Hardcase said nervously, and they had been seeing each other long enough for Kix to know immmediately that Hardcase was scared beyond believe, "because there's a police cruiser behind us that's been following us ever since that Sedan took a turn," Hardcase explained, nodding behind himself.  
"Fuck," Kix cursed. He tried keeping his cool, neither speeding off, nor moving the cab in any way; maybe the cruiser hadn't noticed them.

And, indeed, as the traffic light turned green the cruiser merged into the lane next to them, before taking a right turn and driving off.  
"Sorry that I got you into this," Kix said, once he continued driving again, "but Fives knows that I've been seeing you, and I don't know what the fuck is going on."

Hardcase nodded, this whole Jason Bourne kind of scenario still felt extremely surreal.  
He wished for nothing more then to wake up back at the firehouse to Boil telling him to get up.  
But sadly that was not about to happen.  
"What are we gonna do?" He asked, risking a quick glance at Kix behind the steering wheel.

"I'm meeting up with my contact man," Kix explained, "Fives got some of the paperwork, "his hand patted the space next to him where the backpack was laying, "I'm just hoping we'll get to him before they get to us."  
Hardcase snorted a humorless laugh.

"Regreting that we started dating, eh?" Kix asked, raising an amused brow at him in the rearview mirror.  
"No," Hardcase said immediately, and his gaze didn't waver as he stared into Kix' eyes, "whatever's gonna happen, we'll manage it together."


	26. Things you said sitting still...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Already had this written and sitting on my laptop for about a year or so.  
> Take the sad.

The only thing that was left of Hardcase after Umbara was a batch of flimsy, and for hours Kix sat alone, head bowed, food and drink untouched, not talking to anyone.  
„Shouldn't we...?“ Tup started but Jesse shook his head.   
„No,“ he murmured, „This cup of grief is his alone.“

And Tup listened, they all did, they left Kix to his own devices, keeping their distance to allow their medic to sort himself out.   
If you compared them to normal humans they probably took it all way too easy; a few days, a week maybe, and they'd be back to working order again.   
Kix though was different, and seemed to always have been, Tup came to find out, as Jesse told him how hard the death of one of Kix' batchmate's, Silio, hat hit him.

Jesse still said that it was better to leave Kix alone though, since none of them was really equipped to deal with him in this state. Not that they were unsensitive or anything, but to be perfectly honest none of them really knew what Kix was going through.

And it was just his luck that Rex had asked him to get Kix, because he wanted to talk about the supply lists or something.  
That's why he was making his way through the medical storage room now, as Ferns had told him Kix had to be just finishing up with doing inventory.  
As Tup saw the paintings on Kix' armor he nodded to himself. „Kix?“ he said, „Do you have a sec'. Captain's looking for you.“  
Kix flinched, probably didn't expect someone to bother him.  
„Give me a moment, will you,“ he mumbled, shaking his head and setting a box down before grabbing another. 

Then something strange happened. Suddenly the box Kix had been holding fell to the floor, accompanied by the sound of something fragile breaking, and Kix' cursing.  
„Kriff,“ he shouted, kicking the box for good measure, and Tup froze.

„I'll give you a minute,“ he said carefully.   
Kix huffed a breath, pacing the room a few times like some kind of wild, caged animal, before coming to stand in front of the box again.   
Then the dam seemed to have been broken. Kix grabbed another box and flung it against the wall, before turning his attention to a datapad on a crate to also fling it against the wall.   
Tup needed a moment to realize what was happening and process it before he managed to push himself into action. 

„Kix, stop!“ he snapped, trying to get a hold of the medic's shoulders, but Kix shook him off.   
„What are you doing?“ he tried again, but that only seemed to anger Kix even further.  
Tup continued to try and get in between Kix and whatever the medic turned his attention to to brake, but his success was only meager. Then:

„I don't want to do this anymore,“ Kix announced, his eyes suddenly wide and blank.  
„What?“ Tup asked, blinking in surprise at the sudden change of attitude.  
Just seconds before, he'd been trying to restrain the medic as he smashed the whole supplie room; until this part.  
„I can't... I don't want to feel anymore,“ Kix said, starting to slide down to the floor.  
„Kix. What-“ Tup hesitated, his hand hooverin over the medic's shoulder. „What's going on?“  
„There has to be a way to get rid of it...“ Kix said, staring blankly ahead.  
Tup was at a loss here, as he looked down at where Kix sat on the floor, leaned back against the wall of the supply room.

And that was when Tup realized the full scope of what Jesse had been saying.  
There was a vacancy in Kix' eyes that was honestly scary.  
It was nothing Tup had seen in the last couple of weeks, this emptiness was way worse.  
„Maybe if we had never met,“ Kix mumbled, not even paying any mind to Tup, who was still hovering above him.   
But whatever Kix had wanted to say got cut off by a sob.

Of everything that had happened during the previous weeks this was the scariest thing, to watch Kix lean foreward and bury his face in his hands as his shoulders shook uncontrolably.  
„Erm, Kix...?“ Tup said softly, croaching down in front of the medic as he noticed there was blood dripping down Kix' left hand.   
That was at least something he could deal with. 

„Kix, let me see,“ he said, carefully taking a hold of Kix' wrist.  
Kix' head lifted back up so quickly they nearly bumped heads, and he stared back at him out of tearstained eyes.  
„Let me see,“ Tup repeated, nodding at Kix' bleeding left hand.  
„Let me see,“ Tup said again and Kix shook his head, trying to get his throat working again to tell Tup to leave, he could handle this; Tup didn't need to see his weakness.

„Kix.“  
Tup was moving to sit down to his left, and Kix would've moved away from him if Tup hadn't layed his arm around his shoulders.  
„Do you think you gonna need stitches?“ Tup asked, inspecting Kix' hand closely, and asking because he honestly couldn't tell if the cut was deep enough to require stitches, and maybe because he didn't want to talk about what had caused Kix to break down in tears.

Kix snorted a laugh and that sound alone took a loud off of Tup's mind.  
„Probably. Yeah,“ Kix huffed, swiping the tears off of his face with the hand not held in Tup's grasp.  
„Come on,“ he said, voice still sounding a bit too wet, „let's have Ferns take a look at it.“  
With that being said Kix pulled out from under Tup's arm, pushing himself to his feet.

Tup still stayed, while Flaze inspected the cut and ultimately decided to stitch it closed.   
„I'll clean up that mess in storage,“ Tup offered, earning himself a slap from Flaze and a meaningfull glance.   
„No need,“ Kix said absendminded, „I'll do that after I talked to the captain.“

„The krif,“ Tup hissed, once Kix had left the infirmary and he and Flaze were left alone again, „why don't you help him.“  
„It helps him more to leave him alone,“ Flaze said, regathering the tools he had used to treat Kix' hand, „He needs time to get over Hardcase.“


	27. Things you said at 4 am on the phone...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole thing was my sister's idea.

It was his first day off in like forever, and Kix just wanted to relax a bit and shut off his brain, especially since work had been quite the hell trip the last few weeks.  
He had decided to just do nothing on that day, and spend most of his time watching some old horror movies.  
Then he just wanted to get to bed early and sleep for a solid eight hours, preferably more.  
However, his nitwit of a boyfriend had to thwart that plan, as he decided to call him at fucking four in the morning.

Kix groaned and blindly grabbed for his buzzing phone on the nightstand.  
„If this isn't important, Hardcase, I swear I'm gonna kill you,“ Kix growled, as way of answering the phone.  
„Hey Kixie,“ Hardcase said, his voice sounding more then just a little bit slurred, „Wanna see me do a backflip.“

If Kix had rolled his eyes any harder they would've ended up in the back of his head.  
He knew he should've asked Jesse to keep an eye on Hardcase. But no, he hadn't, and now he was left on the phone with his evidently drunken boyfriend.  
„Hardcase, you're on the phone,“ Kix huffed, letting his head fall back into the pillow, while he stared up at the dark ceiling, cursing everything under the sun that had led him to this.

Hardcase huffed an annoyed breath.  
„Do you wanna see me do a backflip now, or what,“ he slurred.  
„No,“ Kix said decidedly.  
„Wanna see me do a handstand?“  
„No!“ Kix snapped, „Is Jesse there, give him the-“  
CRASH

Kix sat bolt upright in an instance.  
There were some voices on the other side of the line and shuffling, then Denal's voice could be heard on the line.  
„Kix?“  
„Should I meet you in the ER?“ Kix asked, rubbing his forehead.  
„Probably, yeah.“

Which brought Kix to the present, back at the hospital he actually had a day off from, because his damn drunk boyfriend had done something stupid again.  
„Kix!“ Hardcase cheered once he saw him, waving him with a casted right hand.

„Why didn't you watch him?“ Kix hissed at Denal, from where Kix was pressed up against Hardcase, who had his arms around his waist and his head pressed to his abdomen.  
„He slipped away,“ Denal defended himself, „I only got to him once it was already too late.“  
Kix sighed, running his hands over Hardcase's head and down his neck and shoulders.  
„Let's get you home, eh?“ he asked, looking down into Hardcase's eyes that weren't really focused in on him, and were a bit too pinned.  
„Yeah, home,“ Hardcase agreed, nodding and grinning stupidly.

The ride home was rather uneventfull, and Hardcase, thankfully, didn't put up much of a fight as Kix got him into his apartment and then situated in bed.  
„You should've just stayed home,“ Kix said, manoeuvring Hardcase into his bed, and than getting back inside it himself.  
„Don't like your horror flicks,“ Hardcase mumbled, trying to pull Kix close, before remembering the cast.  
„You know I would've watched something different with you,“ Kix said, laying his arm around Hardcase's waist and pulling his boyfriend close, who instantly cuddled closely into his chest.

„Even 27 dresses?“ Hardcase mumbled sleepily.  
Kix nodded, „Even 27 dresses,“ he said, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Hardcase's head.  
Thankfully the whole receding adrenaline of the situation left Kix rather drained, and with his boyfriend, the human heater, cuddled up against him it was easy to fall back asleep.


	28. Things you said but not out loud...

All of them had colours on their skin. The marks were left when two people touched, skin to skin, and represented a emotional connection.   
It wasn't that big off a deal, they all understood that those marks were platonic more often than not.   
They all had light washes of Rex' cobalt blue and Ahsoka's blush red.

The deeply saturated ones, though, were different.   
It spoke of such a deep connection that those pairs were seen as soulmates.

They all dragged Rex mercilessly over the orange handprint that snaked it's way around his wrist; they called it a handcuff, he called it his wedding ring.  
Fives had a green handprint on his hip, the exact opposite side of where Jesse had a turquoise handprint on the small of his back.  
Everyone knew not to mention the crimson handprint on Echo's shoulder, just as they should shut their mouth about the lilac handprint on Dogma's right cheek.

Had Tup known he would be marking the other for life, he wouldn't have slapped him; but he was being such an insufferable moon jockey about „regulations this“ and „regulations that“.

„What are you staring at?“ Dogma asked, waving a hand in front of Tup's face.  
Tup flinched slightly and shook his head to clear it.   
„Just thinking about soulmarks,“ he replied honestly.

„Aha. Yeah, thanks again for that one,“ Dogma said darkly, looking back down at the pad he'd been reading.  
Tup's own mark was a pear green handprint in the center of his chest.   
He honestly counted himself lucky that Dogma had been far too flustered after receiving his soulmark that, rather then hitting him back, he had preferd it to retreat for a bit to sort his mind out.   
It had only been later that night, as Tup had tried talking to him and Dogma had pushed him away, that his own mark had appeared.

„Have you ever seen Kix' mark?“ Tup asked suddenly and Dogma's eyes landed on him, brows raised.  
„Erm, why do you ask?“  
Tup shrugged his shoulders. „Dunno. I've just never seen a soulmark on him.“  
„Well, how often do you see him in the fresher?“ Dogma chuckled, knowing full well that they saw the medic pretty infrequently at best; because medical scheduling was a helltrip, and they all knew it.

„I know he has some of the captain and commander,“ Tup said absendminded, thinking about how he had seen a cobalt handprint on his wrist and a wash of blush on his shoulder, „But-“  
„Why does it even interest you so much?“ Dogma asked, putting down his pad, as Tup wasn't letting him read in peace, „Am I not good enough for you anymore?!“  
„What?“ Tup snapped, feeling as if he had just gotten trampled by some pretty heavy beast, „No. What- Why would you ask that?“

„Well, why would you be asking about Kix' soulmark?“ Dogma shot back and that made sense.  
Why was he asking indeed?  
„I'm just wondering if it is Hardcase,“ Tup mumbled.  
Dogma's frown deepened at that admission, before he tilted his head to the side. 

„What makes you think that?“ he asked slowly.  
„Well, yesterday, in the messhall,“ Tup started...

_He had been talking to Jesse about sports and whatnot as Kix had plopped down on the bench next to Jesse, with an expression as if somebody important had just died.  
„Okay, what's up with you?“ Jesse asked immediately, with quite the amused expression.   
„Everything sucks, the world is bleak, war will kill us all. I might as well just go dig a hole and rot,“ Kix grumbled into his hand, staring back at them out of tired eyes._

_„Aha,“ Jesse hummed knowingly, „Someone forgot to refill the caf machine again, didn't they?“  
„I live with animals Jesse! ANIMALS!“ Kix cursed, letting his head fall foreward to rest on his crossed arms on the desk.  
„I'll get you some,“ Hardcase said, patting the tired medic's back before getting up and walking over to the empty caf machine. _

_Everyone around actually knew to keep the caf machine full at all times, because their medics were all overworked to hell and back; meaning, they needed caf, and if they didn't get it they were even more irratable as usuall, meaning, there would be people getting killed.  
Whoever thought to leave the caf machine empty, they didn't knew, but one thing was for sure: they couldn't be that smart._

_Thankfully, Hardcase didn't take long to come back to their desk with a steaming cup of blessed salvation.  
He rested the cup on the table in front of Kix, just keeping it there casually until Kix' fingers crept foreward, like he couldn't gather the energy to reach out properly.  
Hardcase let him take the cup, then turned to give Tup a smile and an eyeroll._

_That's when Tup spottet the end of a fingerprint on Hardcase's neck.  
„Force!“ He had wanted to exclaim, but managed to just bite it back.  
Only the tops of three fingers could be seen, all a darkly saturated ocean blue.  
He had seen that blue before, just not that saturated.  
Jesse had it, Fives had it, Resol had it, even the captain and commander had it.   
And apparently, Hardcase also did._

„Well duh?“ Dogma snorted and Tup immediately felt his face heat up.  
„What do you mean, 'duh'?“ he asked indignant.  
„Kix has a yellow handprint on his collarbone,“ Dogma said nonplussed, which had Tup splutter.  
They both had light washes of Hardcase's yellow, heck, Fives had some right at the top of his forehead; Hardcase had ruffled his hair.

„And you didn't think to mention that sooner, why?“ Tup hissed, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.  
Dogma chuckled under his breath, shrugging his shoulders. „It's funny watching you go all Nancy Drew.“  
„Thanks,“ Tup grumbled, crossing his arms, not unlike a sulky youngling.  
„Now, come on, don't be like that,“ Dogma snickered, bumping their shoulders together, „Wanna know how I found out?“

And after Tup nodded, Dogma took off his left glove and forearm armor, so that he could show him his arm.   
There was a light yellow handprint, a bit further up his forearm, and a ocean blue wash on the back of his hand.  
Some Nancy Drew Dogma was, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Soulmate AU.  
> In this AU everyone has a unique color signature that can show up on another persons skin when they touch.  
> Light washes of color, or handprints, mean that the bond is platonic, while deeply saturated prints are seen as the one of your soulmate.
> 
> And yes, apparently, Nancy Drew exists in the Star Wars universe in that AU.


	29. Things you said on the highway...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this chapter is a bit different from the others.

It hadn't been a day where he had wanted to work, to be perfectly honest.  
Hardcase had actually planned to get together with Jesse and Tup, who lived in Webster, and the best way to get there was through hitchhiking. 

He really hadn't planned to get to work that night, but as soon as that car had pulled up next to him and the drivers window had lowered, so that the driver could take a look at him, Hardcase's stomach did a backflip.  
„Are you taking the highway toward Webster?“ Hardcase asked the driver, who nodded his head in affirmation, before motioning to the passenger side door.

As soon as Hardcase was in the passenger seat the driver started up his car again, continuing eastbound down the road.  
„Disgusting weather, eh?“ the driver asked, motioning towards Hardcase, who was nearly completely soaked, head to toe, „Not really the weather for hitchhiking, don't you think?“  
„Any weather is the weather for hitchhiking, when you have no other way to get to where you wanna go,“ Hardcase said, taking off the hood of his windbreaker.

Hardcase's eyes darted towards the driver to take in his appearance.  
He seemed to be about the same hight as Hardcase, only build a bit slighter than he was; he also seemed to be a bit older.  
His hair was a bit longer then Hardcase's, millimeters at best though, and cut into lightning patterns.

„So, where are you heading to?“ Hardcase asked interested.  
He had a habit of keeping up the small talk, even with people he just met, and especially with people he had special plans for.  
Are they going somewhere specific? Is someone expecting them there, or expecting them back from somewhere?  
„Just need to finish doing some errands,“ the driver said, and Hardcase nodded.  
„Groceries for the family?“ he asked, looking at the back seat of the car, „pretty big car you got here, must have a big family.“  
„No, I just liked it,“ the driver said.  
So, no wife or kids.  
Hardcase slipped his hand back into his jacket pocket, fingers curling around the handle of his knife.

„Maybe have some time for a beer or two? You know, as a thank you for the ride,“ Hardcase asked.  
This would be the final question. If the guy agreed, Hardcase would take it to mean that he had nothing to get to in the morning, it was a thursday night after all.  
„Sure,“ the driver said, a small smile starting to tug at his lips, „Could surely use a beer or two.

Hardcase kept the small talk going and light, until he noticed them coming closer to the highway.  
„Stupid question, but how come you even picked me up? Like, didn't your mother ever tell you not to pick up any hitchhikers? I mean, I could be some serial killer or something," he mused, while carefully pulling his right hand, that was holding the knife, from his pocket, and leaning foreward to switch it into his left hand.  
"Nah, buddy," the guy huffed, sounding amused, "the chances of two serial killers being in the same car are astronomical."

 _How true_ , Hardcase thought, his grip on the knife tightening before he raised his left arm to press the knife up against the drivers throat.  
"Funny you said that," he hummed amused.  
He saw the drivers eyes widen, before something strange happened.  
There was a muffled scream coming from behind them, and then there was a faint knocking noise.  
"You have to be fucking kidding me," the driver swore, before hitting the breaks so hard that Hardcase was propelled into the seatbelt with such a force, that all the air went rushing out of his lungs.

He was so stunned that he didn't even notice the driver turning off his car, getting out, and walking around to the boot of it.  
"What the fuck do you think you are doing," Hardcase cursed, as he followed the driver outside, knife still in hand.  
He stopped short as he noticed the shovel in the guys hands, which he then used to beat something within the trunk.  
Carefully, and with a good amount of distance put between them, Hardcase came up to the trunk, and whistled at the body of a man that was contained in it.

"Wow. Did a number on him," he commented absentminded.  
The driver turned his head, looking at him with a bewildered expression and, fuck, those blood splatters really accentuated his features, especially his cheekbones.  
"I think we are the one in a milion," he huffed, motioning between them with his shovel.

Hardcase stared at the driver for a moment, just taking him in.  
There was some kind of a tattoo on the left side of his head, that Hardcase hadn't been able to see before.  
"Wow, what do you think you're doing," the driver said, holding up the shovel in between them as Hardcase took a step towards him.  
"Now, don't be like that," Hardcase purred, pushing the shovel down and slamming foreward in the same motion.

That left the driver pushed up against his car, whith Hardcase's knife digging into his abdomen, and the shovel trapped in between the two of them.  
"Wanna tell me your name, beautiful?" Hardcase said, nosing his way up the drivers neck toward his ear.  
"Kix," the driver said slowly, "yours?"  
"Hardcase.“  
With that being said Hardcase grabbed a hold of Kix' jaw, wrenching his head in the direction he wanted, so that he could have a closer look at the tat.  
 _„'Better dead than red',“_ Hardcase read, nodding his head in approval, before leaning down closer to kiss the other man. He hungrily dove into Kix' mouth, tasting blood as he went.

"What did he even do to you?" Hardcase asked, once he let Kix up for air.  
"Wrong place at the wrong time," Kix said matter-of-factly, "didn't do much to be honest."

Hardcase hummed, nodding his head. "Gonna bury him?" he asked, nodding at the shovel.  
"Had planned to," Kix confirmed.  
"Huh," Hardcase huffed, "I usually just dump them into the fields."  
"Huh," Kix echoed, before he turned his head in a way that was highly distracting.

And before Kix knew what was happening Hardcase had slammed the trunk shut, grabbed his head with one hand and his hip with the other, and manhandled him to turn around, bending him over the trunk.  
"What the fuck, man," Kix cursed, lashing out before he felt the cold steel of the knife being pressed against his throat again.  
"Gonna stop that now?" Hardcase mused rhetorically, "would hate to've to dump you into the fields too."

"No worries," Kix ground out between clenched teeth, his hands settling onto the trunk as he ceased to move.  
"Good," Hardcase hummed, fumbling with Kix' belt and zipper.  
It didn't take long for them to get to it, and the sex was just as rushed and frantic as their encounter had been so far.  
"This is really one in a million," Hardcase panted, thrusting into the man in front of him.

Kix made a questioning noise, trying to turn his head to look at him but Hardcase pushed his head back down, leaning his full bodyweight onto his back.  
"You are one feisty thing, aren't you,“ he chuckled, and Kix' response was a husky laugh that shook all through his chest and right into Hardcase' dick.  
"Fuck," he panted, as his orgasm shook through him.  
His hands were loosing their rhythm around that time, so he let go of Kix' wrists so that the other was able to jerk himself to completion.

Afterward they both stayed draped on top of each other for a moment, until they were able to catch their breath.  
"Tell you what," Kix huffed, once he pushed off the trunk, turning to Hardcase without even paying any mind to the fact that his jeans were still around his ankles, "next time you'll be the one taking it."  
"Oh, there's gonna be a next time?" Hardcase mused, not even putting up a fight as Kix pulled him into a searing kiss.

And Hardcase felt all his arguments, logic, reason and all, evaporate as Kix took him back in hand.  
It was way too soon and he was way too sensive but, fuck, if it wasn't a sight to behold, seeing a guy like Kix rut against him like that. "Allright.“  
And he knew he agreed way too easily, and that getting involved with a guy like Kix was a huge gamble, but his brain refused to work anymore.

So they drove over to the fields and dumped the body of the dude Kix had killed -and the shovel- straight into the mash.  
It was a good thing that both their targets were predominantly male, as the police and media were focusing way too much on the female victims of the fields.  
Nobody cared if a few guys went missing, it was all about the poor little girls.

"Why do you kill guys anyways?" Hardcase asked, once they had gotten to a motel that was far enough off the beaten track for Kix' liking.  
He seemed to be a bit more paranoid, kind of the perfect opposite to Hardcase's easy-going outlook on things.  
"Why do you care?" Kix countered, fumbling with the key to their room.  
"Let me guess, some unresolved daddy issues," Hardcase chuckled, and within a second he found himself dragged into the room and smashed back against the closed door.

"Sore spot?" He asked, raising an amused brow at Kix.  
"No," Kix growled, looking anything but, "you're just way too loud."  
After that there hadn't been much talking, as Kix proceeded to fuck him like there was no tomorrow.  
Any noises that were leaving Hardcase's mouth at that point were gasps, moans and choked off sobs.

"You have a lot of pend up rage there," Hardcase said once it was all over, and they layed pressed up against each other, all sweaty and sticky.  
"What are you, a serial killers psychologist?" Kix grunted, still nibbling on a bite mark he had left on Hardcase's shoulder.  
"Not exactly," Hardcase grinned, pulling Kix back up against himself, "I'd much rather be your longtime partner."

"Like Bonnie and Clide or Lucas and Toole?“ Kix snorted, „Hate to brake it to you but all of those went to shit."  
"Not you," Hardcase said, kissing Kix again and muttering against his lips, "not us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kix and Hardcase, both, are serial killers operating in the area around the texas killing fields, and because their victims are essentially only men they manage to completely evade the police.
> 
> This is going to be continued in chapter 30.


	30. Things you said in the backyard at night...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of chapter 29.  
> Probably the last one in the Serial Killer AU; at least for now.

Hardcase had no idea how anybody ever okayed Kix working in a hospital with that tattoo of his.  
Kix explained that he already had the tattoo before being accepted into med school, during which he let his hair grow out to cover up the tat, which he kept up during his residency.  
He only changed it to what it was now, once he was attending physician and couldn't be fired.  
Hardcase himself hadn't really thought about all of that once he got his face tat.  
He was a freelance artist that was still in college for psychologie, and honestly, who in college really cared about what anybody else was doing. 

Well, they did care about murders, which was why Hardcase had been thinking about their tattoos.  
Kix wore a beanie when he went out on the prowl, to cover up his very distinguishable haircut and tattoos.  
Hardcase himself had been careful to never keep any of his victims alive, and once he got together with Kix he kept in the background, until Kix got their victims to where he wanted them to.  
Appart from that, nobody of their respective circle of friends and family knew about their partner.   
Kix had decided it was better that way, to have no connections like that.  
They also didn't stick to a specific schedule.

Hardcase actually didn't have a set schedule concerning his murders anyways.  
If he was being honest, he just got a feeling about a person and then decided if they would have to bite the dust or not.  
Kix mostly went out on the prowl when he had a really bad day at work.

That was actually what had gotten them here.  
The here being a dingy bar across state lines in Louisiana of all places.  
„I need to blow off some steam,“ had been Kix' reason for showing up at Hardcase's place, and taking him for that five hour long car ride.  
They had talked during the ride but Hardcase had kept the conversation superficial, avoiding poking the beast that he knew slept in Kix' chest. 

He didn't quite knew how to explain it but Kix seemed to almost have two personalities when it concerned his killing exploits.   
One of them was calm, collected, always thought five steps ahead, and was pretty damn paranoid.  
The other one however was some violent, raging beast that didn't come out to play often.  
Hardcase had seen it in action on only two occasions, and each time it had honest to god scared him.

Whenever Kix went full on berserk he would get sloppy, to the point where Hardcase needed to step in and make sure there won't be any incriminating evidence left; and Hardcase didn't like that.  
They had been able to avoid detection by the police so far but that had been mostly down to Kix.  
So, whenever Kix lost it, Hardcase was left to pick up the pieces, hoping for his partner to regain his senses quickly so they could deal with the fallout.

Hardcase kept back while Kix continued to lay into the barkeeper that had been making eyes at him the whole night.   
Hardcase didn't quite knew if Kix had wanted to drive into Louisiana specifically to kill, or if this was just a lucky coincident.   
Thing was, the guy had also caused a sick, crawling in Hardcase, quite unlike the feeling he got when choosing a victim.

„Why so gloomy,“ Kix panted, stopping in his relentless beating of the barkeeper, who layed on the ground in a bleeding and groaning heap.   
Lucky for them the bar had closed down half an hour ago and, appart from them, the barkeeper had been the only one left for about two hours. That and the missing security cameras had sealed his fate.  
Though Hardcase doubted that Kix had checked for them, he was way too far gone for that.

„I don't like you like this,“ Hardcase said, staying where he was, leaned back against Kix' car, arms crossed over his chest.  
He had already told Kix that this specific state, that he rarely got into, genuinely scared him.  
„Sweety,“ Kix purred, sauntering over to him and laying his arms onto his hips, „you know I'd never do something to you.“  
Of course Hardcase knew that, which he had told Kix a few times by now.

„Want to finish him off,“ Kix asked, nosing his way up from Hardcase's jaw to his ear.  
The barkeeper whimpered from where he layed crumpled on the ground. He was covered in blood and bruising, and Hardcase wondered how he could even see them, as both his eyes were almost entirely swollen shut.  
But Kix' offer did sound like the perfect ending to this evening.

„You know I'd never lay hands on you,“ Kix said later, once they sat around the small bar's backyard. Strange how a bar of all places would have a backyard but, oh well.  
They had dragged the body of the dead barkeeper back here, once Hardcase had finished up with him.   
Leaving all the blood and guts just out on the parking lot wouldn't be in their best interest.

„It's not that,“ Hardcase sighed, his eyes leaving the night sky to look back at Kix, „It's just that... you get extremely sloppy once you get into a state like this.“  
Kix frowned and Hardcase elaborated. „I don't wanna end up like Bonnie and Clide, or Lucas and Toole.“  
„We aren't going to,“ Kix snickered, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together, „we are better than them.“

That was another thing Hardcase needed to keep an eye on, Kix right after his little episodes, was just way too carefree to even bother to think about cleanup.  
Which was also why they were still staring at the corpse of the barkeeper.  
If Kix had a clear head he would've had a plan for the cleanup before he had even killed the guy.

„Then how are we gonna get rid of him?“ Hardcase asked challengingly, pointing at the corpse in front of them.  
„Arson,“ Kix said off-handed, „takes care of all the evidence.“  
Hardcase had to agree with that. The bar was so far off from the main road that it would likely take quite some time before anybody would see the fire, and call the fire department.  
„Okay.“

That's how they set fire to the bar, just after dragging the corpse of the barkeeper back into the building.   
„I will never allow us to be caught,“ Kix promised, once he drove back onto the main road, their hands still laced together, „I'd much rather kill us both.“  
And that was the most romantic thing anybody had ever said to Hardcase in his entire life.


	31. Things you said while I cried in your arms...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back by popular demand, Mirek and Senson.  
> And warning: If you like dogs, proceed with caution.

They had a huge problem with freely roaming feral dogs in Wyn, especially the outer skirt of the city, that was neighboring farm land.  
It was so bad in fact that many parents wouldn't let their kids out of the house unsupervised.  
Mirek and Senson however were in that age where Kix only felt like he was mothering them too much, if he was constantly hovering around them.

The incident in question happened around winter time.   
The boys had just gotten back from school, talking about a upcoming exam, as a pack of dogs decided to take their chance on Mirek.  
They probably figured he'd be easily overpowered, being blind and all.

They did manage to take both twins by surprise, knocking Mirek to the ground, who just so managed to get up his arm in time for one of the dogs to bite down on his thick winter jacket, instead of his arm.  
Also lucky that Mirek had been wearing his jacket at all, as he usually went without it, laughing at them that it wasn't even that cold.   
Now that jacket saved him from the dogs lethal teeth.

Senson had been better situated to protect himself against the dogs, as he managed to keep his footing.  
Their knight in shining armor came in the form of their family cat, who came busting out of the front door, attracted by the commotion.  
Kashi managed to keep the dogs occupied while Senson ran up to the house calling for his father.  
And it was a good thing Kix kept guns in the home, even though Hardcase didn't like it at all, otherwise, who knew if the fallout hadn't been much worse.

As it was Kix shot two of the dogs straight away, before the other three backed away.  
After that it was a absolute mess.  
Between calling for an ambulance and the police Kix was having a positive meltdown.   
Not just because his son, his blind son, had just been attacked by feral dogs, but also because their cat had been caught straight in the middle of it all.

Hardcase knew that the cat ment a lot to Kix, probably just as much as his sons ment to him.  
Which was why Resol had offered to call Neck, even though it was his day off, so his boyfriend could take the cat to his mothers cat clinic.

The hours spend in the ER were a utter nightmare.  
Mirek's jacket had taken the brunt of the attack and the only thing he was left with was a badly sprained wrist, bruised arm and leg.  
Even the shock seemed to have worn off pretty quickly, as the boy was back on his phone, texting Sirca, in no time. 

Kix hurried them through the discharge, then into the car and off to the vet clinic.   
Well, first Hardcase had forced him into the passenger seat, as Kix was in no state to be driving at all. 

Kix had burst through the doors of the clinic like a tornado taking the doors right off the hinges.   
Hardcase and the boys hung back, just watching as Kix talked to the vet tech at the front desk.  
In the waiting room, everything having calmed down, it all caught up with Kix.  
From one second to the other he turned into a sobbing mess, earning himself some strange looks from his sons.

„If she dies,“ Kix hickuped against Hardcase's shoulder, „I swear to god, I will kill every last one of those damn dogs.“  
„But not for me?“ Mirek chimed from the other side of the room.  
He was just joking, everyone could tell from his shit-eating grin, but Kix was not in the mood to be joking around. There was a choked off sob, then Kix huddled even closer to Hardcase, who looked at the older twin with an upset expression.  
Senson took up the punishment as he wacked his brothers head.  
„Ouch,“ Mirek whined, „Carefull. I just got nearly eaten by two dogs.“  
„Shut up!“ Senson hissed, seeing how Mirek's jokes were only making everything worse.  
„Dad,“ he sighed, getting up and walking over to his father, just to rest his hand on his shoulder.  
„She isn't going to die. She told me she can't.“

Kix took a glance up at Senson, a small, but genuine, smile tugging at his lips.  
Senson had always been ademant that Kashi was talking to him telepathically, and strangely whatever he said the cat told him actually came to pass.

Thankfully they were called next, and everyone stood huddled around the norwegian forest cat on the examination table, as Neck's mother told them that, despite everything, Kashi miraculously not even had one single scratch.  
„I can't really explain it,“ Dr. Holliger said, „from what Neck told me that was one hell of a fight.“  
Kix nodded as if he was in trance.  
„I would've expected there to be at least something sprained or broken, but nothing,“ Dr. Holliger went on, running her hand through Kashi's thick fur.

So they could take Kashi back home. Hardcase thanked Dr. Holliger and they all went piling back into the car, Kashi in her carrier on Kix' lap.  
When they finally got home Mirek and Senson immediately crashed out on the sofa in front of the tv, and within ten minutes those two were asleep, the events of the day finally having taken their toll.

Hardcase watched silently as Kix sat the carrier down on the kitchen counter, and opened it so that Kashi could exit it.   
„I'm sorry,“ Kix mumbled, pushing his hands into Kashi's fur, which had the cat purring.   
„What for?“ Hardcase asked, genuinely confused.  
Kix nodded his head at the cat, that seemed to look at Kix with just as much of a questioning gaze as Hardcase himself.   
„Being this attached to her,“ Kix explained, his voice sounding choked and wet again, eyes shining with unshed tears.

Being perfectly honest it had been weird to Hardcase at first.   
After all Kashi had originally been the cat of Kix' ex, Mischa.   
Apparently, after her death her brother had taken care of Kashi, but whenever Kix would visit with the kids Kashi would refuse to leave his side, and refused to stop howling when it came time for them to leave.   
In the end Kix had asked Kuato to keep the cat instead, with the other man agreeing, since Kashi seemed to always be extremely depressed when Kix wasn't around. 

At first it had been weird to know that Kix was still this attached to Mischa, but what was he supposed to do honestly?  
His girlfriend had been taken from him by a car crash after all, before they even had the chance to sort things out between them.  
But Kix had managed to find love again.  
Hardcase knew, as sure as he knew that the sky was blue that Kix truely loved him.

„It is okay, Kix,“ he said calmly, running his hand down Kix' cheek that was already wet from tears again, „she is as much a part of you as I am.“  
And they both knew that he wasn't talking about Kashi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make things clear, Mischa's ghost is occupying Kashi's body.  
> Kashi had actually died a few days before the pile up, without Mischa knowing about it as she had been heading over to Kix to talk things out because of the pregnancy and all.


	32. Things you said that I wouldn't understand...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should better read chapter 16 of 'Down with Love' before, else this chapter won't make much sense. Or you read my new fic 'Five Stages Of Grief', which I wrote specifically so you won't have to jump between three seperat fics.  
> I already had the idea for this chapter when I wrote chapter 16 of 'Down With Love'.  
> Just like Olivia was plagued by John appearing to her, I had a similar idea for Hardcase in the aftermath of what happened in chapter 16.

It all started mere days after the whole thing with Kix had went down.  
At first it were shadows that looked extremely familiar, and whispers of a voice Hardcase knew all too well.  
Then the apparition started to take shape and the voice became clearer, until Hardcase found himself staring back at Kix, late at night in the mess hall.

He was so surprised that he dropped the cup of caf he'd been holding, and grabbed his blaster off his hip, but as soon as he had raised the weapon Kix had been gone again.  
That night Hardcase hadn't been able to find sleep again.  
He was debating whether or not to talk to someone about it.  
He would've liked to talk to Resol, but he wasn't there anymore. Shortly after the whole thing with Kix had transpired Rex had been informed that the medic was missing from his lockup cell.

In the end Hardcase decided to mention it to Jesse.  
„He just stood there,“ Hardcase explained, „and when I grabbed my blaster he vanished.“  
Jesse nodded his head slowly, face scrunched up in concentration. „Are you sure you saw him?“ he asked, „you weren't... you know.“  
„No, I wasn't sleep deprived,“ Hardcase said.  
„I don't know,“ Jesse said contemplative, „It was a lot to take in and Echo told me you weren't sleeping that well.“  
Hardcase threw his head back to stare up at the ceiling. „Forget it,“ he finally huffed, „talking about that was a mistake.“ With that he got up and left, without paying any regard to Jesse's protests.

The next time was in a turbo lift, again, late at night.  
Hardcase had been heading from the freshers to the barracks, and felt his stomach drop as soon as he saw a figure he recognized to be Kix standig in one of the elevators.  
The doors closed before Hardcase could get to it, and in the spur of the moment Hardcase had went into the other lift, and headed to the same floor the first lift had. 

When he got there the doors to the elevator were still open, but the chamber itself was empty.  
Thinking he was turning crazy, Hardcase turned on his heels to head back into the elevator he had taken and to the barracks but someone blocked his way.  
Hardcase stumbled back a step as he came face to face with the apparition that was Kix.

 _„Wow, carefull there,“_ the ghost said, talking and sounding just like Kix, and Hardcase had to swallow.  
Kix looked paler than he had been in life, and looked more like he did just before he had died.  
Hardcase's gaze lowered to the scorched hole in Kix' chest. 

„You can't be here,“ Hardcase said forcefully, „I'm going crazy. What are you doing here?!“  
The last question was snapped angrily, and they both knew why there were tears springing to Hardcase's eyes.  
Kix stepped foreward and wiped them away, and Hardcase flinched again, but was otherwise entirely frozen. How could Kix be touching him? He was dead, Hardcase had watched him die.

„How can you be here?“ Hardcase whispered, leaning into Kix' touch despite himself.  
_„I don't know,“_ Kix admitted, the touch of his hand was turning cold, before it disappeared altogether, and within the blink of an eye Kix was gone again.

Hardcase didn't knew if he should attribute that encounter to sleep deprivation too, he didn't feel too tired. But what else should he be thinking.

The next time was just after a battle.  
Hardcase had been injured, just a graze at his side, but it had him moving slower than usuall.  
He hung back behind the others, and was happy for it, as Kix appeared to him just as the others had rounded the corner of the hallway they were walking through.

 _„How did you let this happen?“_ Kix hissed, appearing right in his face, Hardcase almost bumping into him.  
„Force!“ he cursed, pressing a hand onto his chest, his heart racing against his palm, „What are you doing here!?“  
_„You got hurt,“_ Kix said, pointing at Hardcase's side, as if that was enough explanation.  
„Yeah. So?“ Hardcase hissed, walking around the apparation in a wide circle, so it wouldn't be able to reach out and touch him.  
_„So?“_ Kix echoed, turning with his movement, so that his eyes weren't leaving Hardcase. _„I'm worried about you.“_

„Worried?“ Hardcase snapped, „you weren't worried about killing Master Nigati!“  
Kix exhaled a big breath, how there could be any air movement around him was a mystery to Hardcase, and looked to be searching for an explanation. _„There are things about me that I didn't tell you.“_  
„No shit,“ Hardcase snorted sarcastically.

„Hardcase, are you coming?“ Tup had appeared at the end of the hallway.  
Hardcase looked back and realized that the apparition was gone. „Yeah,“ he said grimly, and went off down the hall to rejoin the others.

„Are you going to leave any time soon?“ Hardcase asked annoyed, once he noticed the apparition again, as he was alone one night in the fresher.  
_„Don't know,“_ Kix said, shrugging. 

Hardcase sighed, spitting out the toothpaste into the sink before turning to Kix fully.  
„Explain it to me,“ he demanded, „explain to me why you turned against your own general. Explain to me why you became a traitor.“  
_„Were you on geonosis?“_ Kix asked and Hardcase shook his head; he hadn't been fully grown at that point. 

Kix nodded, taking a stedying breath.  
_„Well, that battle was a desaster. The jedi we were assigned to not only didn't knew how to deal with an army, she also didn't care how many of us she got killed. 'Force knows we have spares', she said,“_ Kix shrugged, _„I guess I just burned a fuse.“_

And that's when Hardcase realised that Nigati hadn't been Kix' first. „How many others were there?“ he asked.  
_„Only those two,“_ Kix said, _„As I said, that's not exactly my job.“_  
That was the thing. „Who were you working with?“ Hardcase asked, remembering the second clone that had been on the recorded comm call.  
Kix shook his head. _„I kept this from you for a reason.“_  
Hardcase threw his hands in the air. „You are dead, Kix!“ he exclaimed.  
_„And they aren't,“_ Kix countered grimly, _„I won't be the reason you manage to uncover it.“_  
And, just like that, he was gone again.

They did come to the conclusion that there had to be more people in this conspiracy than just Kix and Resol.  
Getting Resol out of lockup and making him disappear was quite a feed, and Kix talking about 'Peitho' and 'Shezmu' had them surmise that this conspiracy had to be big enough to warrant some kind of structure from within. 

The next time Kix appeared, as Jesse noticed the necklace around Hardcase's neck.  
„Wait,“ he said, pulling until he could take a look at the ring dangling from the necklace, „Is that-“  
Hardcase pulled back as if Jesse's touch had burned him, and tugged the necklace back into his top. „Doesn't matter!“ he said curtly.

Jesse stared at him for quite some time. „Did Kix?--“  
„It doesn't matter, Jesse,“ Hardcase growled decidedly, „He was a traitor and everything he told me was likely a big fat lie!“  
_„No, it wasn't,“_ Kix said from where he had appeared at his shoulder.  
„Shut up!“ Hardcase snapped, glaring at the apparition.

„Erm, I... wasn't saying anything,“ Jesse said carefully, eyeing him with open confusion.  
Hardcase felt his face heat up, before he jumped to his feet. „Excuse me,“ he said curtly, before walking off.  
Jesse looked after him, watching him mumble to himself and move his hands as if he was explaining something to someone. 

„When are you finally going to leave?“ Hardcase asked exhausted, once he had found them a secluded enough place, as the apparition refused to dissipate.  
_„Sweety,“_ Kix hummed, cupping Hardcase's face between his hands, his eyes were sad but open, _„You're the one calling me here.“_


	33. Things you said at the back of the theatre...

„Why did I even agree to this?“ Kix grumbled, sitting in his seat, or more like slouching, with his arms crossed over his chest like a sulky toddler.  
He honestly had no idea how he agreed to go to the theatre with Hardcase, he must've been pretty tired or Hardcase had asked right after sex. 

It wasn't that Kix hated the theatre per se, okay no, that was a lie.   
Kix had never been one to sit around and watch people act like Macbeth or Romeo, and worst of all was, that those weren't even the productions Hardcase liked.  
No, he had to like those strange indie productions that were more akin to a bad acid trip than a real stage play.

„Shut up,“ Hardcase said, not taking his eyes off the stage where the actors were doing some form of expressionist dance, or something.  
"I could think of a thousand things I'd rather be doing," Kix grumbled.  
"Aha, like what for example?" Hardcase asked, not averting his gaze from the stage.  
"Well," Kix said, voice suddenly real close and husky in his ear, "I could be sucking you off for example."

That did make Hardcase take his eyes of the stage but only in favor of staring at his boyfriend wide-eyed.  
„What!?“ he hissed, eyes darting around the audiance to make sure nobody had heard what kix had said. Which was fucking useless, appart from maybe the first rows of seats, the entire theatre was deserted.   
„Come on,“ Kix purred, leaning a bit closer against Hardcase's side, „Nobody'll notice.“

„'Nobody'll notice!?'“ Hardcase hissed back, pushing Kix off of himself, „Get off before somebody sees us!“  
„Nobody'll see us,“ Kix said with a drop to his voice, while he leaned closer again, „Come on, I want you in my mouth.“

Hardcase gulped, okay, Kix knew exactly what he needed to do to push his buttons.   
Especially with the way he had layed his hand onto his knee, and was now stroking upwards, ever so slowly.  
"We can't be doing this," Hardcase said, but there was no real heat in his voice anymore.  
"We're in the last row and there is no one around us," Kix hummed, lightly kissing the skin behind Hardcase's ear, while starting to fumble around with his belt.

And, again, Hardcase found himself agreeing to what Kix was doing oddly quickly, since they were in fact in the last row, and for six rows before them there was nobody in sight.  
"Alright, fine," he said clipped, once Kix had gotten his jeans open and had pushed his hand inside.

Kix was always a force to be reckoned with, especially when it concerned sex, and Hardcase was also very agreeable when there was a hand on his dick, jerking him off.  
And as Kix gave him that toothy grin, Hardcase had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from straight up cuming in his pants.  
"Get on with it," Hardcase hissed.  
"'Get on with it', he says," Kix snickered, "I have half a mind to draw this out as a punishment."   
But he was already getting off his seat and down onto his knees.

And thankfully, the thought of getting sucked off in public had Hardcase loose it pretty quickly, so there was no real chance for anybody to notice what was going on in the last rows of the theatre.

"How long's this damn play still going for?" Kix hissed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before tugging Hardcase, who was panting harshly, back into his pants.   
He sounded extremely bothered, and from what Hardcase could make out in the dark, his face looked quite flushed.  
"Ten minutes," Hardcase said breathlessly, after a quick glance onto his phone, „Why?"

As answer Kix grabbed his hand and pushed it in between his legs.  
Hardcase gulped as he could now feel just how bothered this whole thing had evidently gotten Kix.  
Then he felt Kix' breath on his neck agin, damn that guy really liked to lean into him tonight.  
And Kix' voice send a shiver down Hardcase's spine, as he rumbled, "Because I really wanna get home, so I can fuck your brains out."


	34. Things you said in your sleep...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have that much brain power left today, so have some sleeptalking shenanigans.

There was a reason Hardcase had an entire bunk bed all to himself, he was a freking nightmare when asleep.  
Not only did he toss and turn like a maniac, no, he also talked in his sleep.

Sometimes it were just mumbles and quiet whispers, and other times he straight up yelled out in the middle of the night.   
Funniest so far had to be him exclaiming at 3 am, „Fuck you Ventress, you owe me 20 credits!“  
Or that time he whined, „I don't want the red purse, it doesn't fit my outfit,“ after falling asleep at the campfire, giving Ahsoka the laughing fit of her life.  
Or the time he told Dogma, who got stuck in the same tent as him, that he liked him very much because, „you kill all the swans“.

But that wasn't the end to it, oh no, Hardcase also sleepwalked.  
One time he got out of his top bunk bed, how he did that without hurting himself was anyone's guess, and then went all the way over to the captain, who he shook awake vigorously, only to ask him, „Do you want a cucumber?“ while holding out a hand full of nothing. 

A few months after that he managed to get lost during his sleepwalking, and started sobbing uncontrolably around Denal's bunk, who had to get Jesse because Hardcase refused to talk to, „the help“.  
One time several trooper woke up freezing because their blankets were gone.  
They found them all with Hardcase, sitting in a pile of blankets, staring up at them blearily and singing, „I'm a washing machine. Washing machine~“ before he ultimatly went back to deep sleep in his blanket nest.

With all of Hardcase's sleepwalking and -talking shenanigans everyone prefered to stay as far way from him as they could.  
Everyone appart from Kix of course, who seemed to not mind the crazy stuff Hardcase was doing, at all. And that even though Kix was a pretty light sleeper.

„You get used to it,“ Kix said bored, poking around in his breakfast.  
„Oh come on,“ Tup exclaimed, „the other night he stood over my bunk, and when I asked what he was doing he just grinned at me and said, 'I like watching you sleep. It's kind of fascinating'.“  
„Once he just got into my bunk and told me 'watch out for the barbed wire',“ Echo threw in.

„He thought my blanket was a cat, and when I told him it wasn't he started crying, before he fell asleep on me,“ Fives grumbled, „And when I tried to get him off he screamed 'those are my nuggets', and then he head-butted me.“  
„Right,“ Jesse hummed.  
They all remembered that fiasco that had ended with Fives spouting a severley broken nose.

„How come he doesn't wake you?“ Tup asked stomped, „usually you steer if I even so much as walk past you.“  
Kix shrugged. „I guess I'm just used to it.“ But then his brows knitted together in thought. „Wait, he did wake me up a few weeks ago.“

„Yeah?“ Tup asked, excited to hear what Hardcase had done to cause Kix to wake up, who otherwise managed to sleep through all of it.  
„He just whimpered 'No, Kix. Stop, that hurts'. And when I asked what was wrong he just turned around and went back to sleep.“  
Everyone silently stared at Kix wide eyed.  
„What?“ Fives asked stunned, and Kix shrugged.  
„What does it matter?“ he shot back, „he was dreaming, alright.“  
„Yeah, but about what?“ Tup asked, flinching as Hardcase's voice sounded from behind him.  
„I was having a nightmare about Kix wanting to eat me, okay.“

They all turned their heads to look at Hardcase, who sat down next to Jesse.  
He stared at all of them, then went in to elaborate. „Kix was some sort of lycanthrope and he wanted to eat commander tano, who was a cat. And I was trying to prevent Kix from eating her but he was too strong. So, in the end, the captain got between Kix and commander tano, and Kix ate him instead. Then he jumped me, and bit me.“

Silence, then their whole table busted out laughing, even Hardcase laughed about his stupid dream.

„Wait, was that why you were growling in your sleep the other night?“ Echo asked.  
It had only been a few days ago that they had been interrupted in their game of cards by Hardcase growling up a storm.   
„Kix was chasing me through a corn field and when he cornered me, I thought the only thing that'll safe me was growling back at him,“ Hardcase explained, shrugging his shoulders.

„How come I always chase you around?“ Kix asked.  
„Are you kidding,“ Jesse chuckled, „You are always chasing him around!“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took most of the stuff from what my family and friends did.
> 
> My sisters are the cucumber, the purse and the werewolf dream about me wanting to eat our guineapig.  
> My dad was growling a werewolf into submission.  
> My sister got lost in her own room and started screaming, having me bust into her room, armed with a glass bottle, as I thought someone had broken into our house.  
> I stole my friends blanket during a sleepover and sung about being a washing machine.


	35. Things you said that made me feel real...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another AU nobody asked for, this one utterly got away from me.  
> Take the Tintanic AU.

For everyone else the titanic was a ship of dreams, but to Hardcase it was more akin to a slave ship, taking him back to the US in chains.  
He had just turned twenty-two and his mother decided that it was high time to finally get him married to some nice, sweet rich girl; emphasis on rich.  
And if there was anything that was known about the Ti family, then it was that they were one of the oldest rich families in America.  
Which meant that Hardcase's mother had decided to get him married to none other but the daughter of the famous Skywalker family.

Ahsoka was a nice girl, that much Hardcase was certain about.  
She was sweet, caring, and really fun to be around.  
The fact of the matter was just that neither could give the other what they needed.  
Ahsoka was in love with another man, Rex James, son of Arthur Curtiss James, who owned one-seventh of all US railroads, but that was apparently not good enough for Ahsoka's parents.

No, according to her mother, Padmé, who was related to the british royal family, she wanted her daughter married to nobody short of royalty.  
Which was how they ended up in this dilemma, as Shaak was related to the german imperial family.

If only he had been born a ordinary man, Hardcase thought gloomily while they boarded the ship.  
Even the simple life of a sailor seemed more appealing to Hardcase now than his own life.  
Seven days, their families thought seven days would be enough to settle this whole thing, as the wedding was set for the end of april.

But there was a glaring problem, appart from Ahsoka loving another man, it was the simple fact that Hardcase wasn't interested.  
He had noticed very early on that he didn't think girls were appealing, and once his mother carted him off to an all boys boarding school he knew that he would never be able to feel something akin to love for a woman.  
Of course his mother didn't knew, and god forbid she'd ever find out.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hardcase mumbled as he bumped into one of the sailors that was standing around the hall, talking to an officer.  
The sailor dismissed it with a simple wave of the hand, before going back to the conversation.

"Always with your head in the clouds," Padmé huffed, shaking her head, "quite some son you got there, Shaak."  
"Indeed," his moher said smiling, but Hardcase could tell that her patience with him was rather thin.  
"I was just admiring the great bit of engineering that this ship is," Hardcase said offhanded.  
He knew what his mother wanted to hear, and this made the crease between her eyes smooth out, and her expression soften.

Thankfully they both managed to get away from their respective families as they settled into their cabin.  
Though, to some of the lower class passengers their cabin must've seemed like a whole house inside this ship.  
"You know, maybe I could talk to my mother," Ahsoka mumbled under her breath, pacing the cabin with ill-contained energy.  
At times she was just far too energetic for a upper class woman.

"Do you really think she will listen?" Hardcase said absend-minded, way too preoccupied with looking at the paintings he had managed to get on board.  
Especially the paintings by Paul Baum were his favorites, since he quite enjoyed pointillism.  
"No," Ahsoka groaned, flopping down on the couch next to the Baum painting.  
"How are you so calm anyways," she asked consternated, "I mean- this whole marriage also isn't in your interest.“

Adding to all of Ahsoka's qualities was the fact that she was extremely attentive.  
She had seen right through him within the very first week of them meeting.  
And she could be using Hardcase's deviant sexual tendencies to get out of this marriage, easily, but instead she kept it to herself.

"That's just the way the world works," Hardcase sighed, fleeing the conversation at hand again as he went back to the paintings he had brought with him.

Later, at dinner, it got even worse, as in Cherbourg none other but Rex boarded the ship.  
"I can't believe he is here," Padmé hissed, though her husband seemed a bit more mellow about the whole thing.  
"It is no criminal offence to be on this ship," Anakin said.  
"We all know why he is here though." Shaak agreed with Padmé, throwing a sidelong glance at Ahsoka, who was so obviously making eyes at Rex.

A nudge and a glare later had Ahsoka's eyes stiffly directed at Hardcase again, who gave her a short encouraging smile.

Thankfully they all managed to slip away after dinner.  
Hardcase watched as Rex and Ahsoka walked off, Rex' hand in the small of her back, and Hardcase felt a stab in his stomach.  
If it wasn't for him, there would be nothing standing in the way of those two having their happily ever after.

With that thought in mind Hardcase went out onto the deck, just roaming about aimlessly for god only knew how long.  
The moon was already shining down on him as Hardcase stepped up to the railing, staring down at the ocean below. It would be so easy to get up on the railing and just tumble overboard, into the jawning, pitch black chasm below.

"Hey, what are you doing," a voice suddenly barked from behind him, having Hardcase flinch violently, and turn his head.  
That's when he noticed that he had actually stepped up onto the railing, and was holding onto it with a vice like grip.

It was the same sailor Hardcase had bumped into as they had boarded the ship, that was now standing behind him.  
"Just go, get lost," Hardcase said, voice heavy with the lump that had formed in his throat.  
But the sailor wasn't backing off, but instead stepping closer to him.  
"Look, I don't know what happened," he said calmly, "but that won't be the solution to it."

Hardcase turned his head back to the ocean below.  
"Yes. Yes it would,“ he mumbled to himself.  
He heard the planks creak as the sailor stepped closer to him.  
"No, it won't," he said decidedly, Hardcase could make him out from the corner of his eye, "Now come on, we'll sit down and talk about it."

Hardcase shook his head vehemently, trying to deny what he knew was the truth.  
"Just go away," he growled, and even to Hardcase himself he sounded like a child throwing a tantrum.

"No," the sailor said forcefully, "You are one of the passengers of this ship and you are threatening to throw yourself overboard. Lightoller'll kill me should I let you do that."  
Hardcase wiped his head around at the sailor at that statement.  
"That's all? Your boss will get mad?!"

And as Hardcase was staring at the other with indignation written over his face, he didn't even notice how the sailor loosened his grasp on the railing, before pulling him away from it completely.  
Hardcase was so surprised that he didn't even manage to put up much of a fight, as the sailor led him over to a bench where he sat him down without much preamble, before joining him.  
They spend quite some time in silence, Hardcase just staring at his hands and not noticing that the sailor was intendly looking at him.  
"I know what you must be thinking," Hardcase huffed out, after quite some time, "'Poor little rich boy, what does he know about misery?'"

"No, no, that's not what I was thinking at all," the sailor said, making Hardcase look back at him curiously, "What I was thinking was, what could've happened to this poor guy to make him feel like there was no way out?"  
Hardcase exhaled deeply through his nose, and he didn't quite knew why, maybe because he had nobody to talk to but Ahsoka, who was in the same predicament as him, but he just unloaded all of it onto the poor guy.

"Okay, first of all, not sailor, junior officer," the officer, who turned out to be named Kix, said, pointing at something on his uniform that Hardcase couldn't recognize for the life of him.  
"And, let me get this straight. You are engaged to a woman, who's in love with another man, while you are a man that only seeks the company of men," Kix recapped.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Hardcase grumbled, pushing himself to his feet and being surprised as Kix got up as well, holding him back with the same strong hand on his wrist that he had used to pluck him off the railing.  
"I wasn't meaning to insult," Kix said calmly, "maybe I should have said: I understand, as I am somewhat in the same shoes as you are."  
That made Hardcase's mouth stand agape for quite some time. Oh, how his mother would have berated him if she could've seen him.  
"Do you mean you-" Hardcase broke off, motioning between them awkwardly, as his reservedness had returned in lue of realizing what he had told the officer.

"Not just men," Kix said, shrugging, being entirely too nonchalant about it, "it's just that, life's too short to be wasting all if the fun only on the woman."  
Hardcase couldn't quite believe what he just heard, and he couldn't believe it either that Ahsoka of all people would cockblock him.

She appeared at his side, clinging to his arm all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, while Rex came to stand next to Kix, so close that the junior officer looked excedingly uncomfortable.  
"Ah, there you are," Padmé said, and that's when it clicked.  
"Where have you two been all night," she asked, lifting the skirt of her pompous dress as she stepped out onto the deck.  
Everyone around was silent, seemingly searchig for a lie to tell.  
"I am sorry to have seized your company like this," Kix said and all eyes were immediately on him, "I was telling the lady about the life boats and we must have gotten carried away."  
Padmé looked between them all for a moment, before huffing a breathless chuckle as she seemed to find Kix' excuse to be truthfull.

"Well, be that as it may, we should head back inside, it is about time to go to bed."  
And with that said she ushered her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law inside, who both threw glances over their shoulders at the men they were leaving behind

"Thanks," Rex mumbled once the three were out of earshot.  
"Don't mention it," Kix mumbled back, shaking his head at the money Rex offered him. "Give me an opportunity to meet him again and we're even."

And Rex was surely trying to get even, which had him joining them the next day, as they were taking a tour around the ship.  
"You have fun, I'll hold them off. And thanks again for yesterday," he mumbled to Hardcase from the corner of his mouth, while he pushed the utterly bewildered younger man off to the side.  
Once Hardcase saw Kix, however, all of his questions evaporated on his tongue.

"And here I thouht I'd never see you again," Hardcase snorted breathlessly, feeling a weight being lifted from out of him once he was away from the prying eyes of his mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law.  
"No worries," Kix said, an amused smile tugging at his lips, "your friend owed me one."  
"I don't quite know if we're friends," Hardcase admitted crestfallen, looking after Rex and the others; Rex was way too close to Ahsoka again.  
"No, you have to be," Kix said, raising a brow in confusion, "despite everything going on you have each others backs."

The mood took a dive after that, Hardcase stopping to take a seat on one of the sunbeds around the deck.  
Kix sighed as he followed, taking a seat next to him. "I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries there," Kix said carefully, but Hardcase shook his head.  
"No, it is- you are right," he said, rubbing an awkward hand down his face, "it's just that... all of this is a bit much to be honest."

Kix nodded his head in a show of understanding, before he shifted his attention to the sketchbook Hardcase held under his arm.  
He had made it a habit to always carry it around with him, even his mother had stopped berating him about it years ago.

"May I?" Kix asked and Hardcase handed the book over, without as much as a shrugg.  
Kix opened the book and his eyes widened at what he saw.  
Many of the pictures were of people Hardcase had met on the streets, but others were of a way more intimate nature.  
And, of course, Kix had to open the book onto the sketch he had made of Louise, a parisian woman with an hourglass figure and long legs.

"T-That is from when I went to university in France," Hardcase explained, stuttering slightly at Kix' scrutinizing gaze on the picture, "Her name's Louise. I met her at a bar in Paris, she agreed to have me draw her."  
Kix nodded, browsing a few pages further.  
"You drew her often," he observed, raising a joking brow at him, "Starting to think you aren't that much into men after all."

"N-No, I-I just liked her for her hands," Hardcase hurried to explain, showing Kix some drawings that attested to that, "She had beautiful hands."  
And what Hardcase said next made him turn brightly red, "P-Plus, s-she was a lesbian."  
He flipped the page to the picture he had drawn of Louise and Victoria.  
"She was really nice company, you know," Hardcase said reminiscing, "Feisty, wouldn't take anyone's shit and just loved living life like she saw fit."  
"Just like you would like to," Kix said and Hardcase froze up instantly.

At no time in his entire life had anybody been this honest with him, and managed to hit what was wrong in his life straight on the head, like a hammer a nail.  
"I-I can't," Hardcase stammered, making to get up but Kix held him back with the same vice like grip that he had used the night before.  
"Bullshit," he hissed heatedly, "if they won't take you for who you truly are, then they don't deserve you for who you are trying to be."

"What do you propose I do, huh?!" Hardcase snapped, "blow off the wedding and run away with you?"  
"Why not?" Kix hissed back, "you went to university, didn't you. You have a degree, right."  
"In engineering, yes," Hardcase confirmed.  
Kix nodded, leaning closer. "Ahsoka blows off the wedding, running away with Rex to get married. You tell your mother that you need time for yourself, and then make a break for the big city. Paris for all I care."

"Run off to Paris with you? I don't even know you," Hardcase snapped, but fell silent immediately as Kix' hand gently squeezed his.  
"I want to know you," he said quietly, and Hardcase gulped.

"You didn't think that plan up by yourself, didn't you," he said slowly, trying to distract from his rapidly beating heart.  
Kix shook his head, "Your fiancée had some ideas."  
"Ahsoka-" Hardcase choked on his breath and Kix nodded.  
"She said that she'd rather be the bad guy here, than stuck in a marriage that'll make both of you unhappy."

"So, this is settled?" Hardcase asked, tilting his head.  
"No," Kix shook his head, "she said that whatever you decide she'll stay with you through thick and thin."  
Hardcase nodded, thinking about the proposition. 

"To be perfectly honest, I really don't want this marriage," Hardcase admitted quietly after quite some time, shuffling away from Kix before standing, as he saw the others approaching.  
"You should be doing what makes you happy," Kix said, standing as well and nodding.  
"Have a nice day, Sir."  
With that being said he turned around, heading off down the deck and toward some of the other sailors.

"Wasn't that the nice officer from last night?" Ahsoka asked, once she was close enough to take a hold of Hardcase's arm.  
"Yes," Hardcase said, recognizing the question in her eyes for what it was.There was a big storm brewing.

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't dislike Padmé, Anakin or Shaak, I just needed someone to be the 'bad guys' here.


	36. Things you said you'll never forget...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second instalment to the titanic AU.

Ahsoka got a bit more cocky with her mother after they had settled their plan, alluding to what was about to happen, and Hardcase walked in on more then one heated screaming match.

A resounding slap could be heard from the other room, and as Ahsoka walked out of the bedroom some time later her cheek was conspicuously red and she walked rather stiffly.  
"Blasted corset," she hissed, "she only tied it too tightly because she's mad."

Hardcase didn't knew if it was that, or the mass they attended, maybe both, but is sowed daubts in him. So when he walked into Kix, on deck later that day he pulled him into a gym room.  
"I don't know if I can do this," Hardcase said as soon as the doors were closed, and they had some form of privacy.  
"What? Why!" Kix snapped, trying to grab a hold of Hardcase's upper arm but he stepped out of his reach.  
"All of the fallout," Hardcase struggled through the mess in his head, "I-I just don't know- this is going way too fast. I just met you, like, two days ago!"  
"Does that really matter?" Kix asked.  
Oh, it did matter, or didn't it, Hardcase wasn't sure if he was being honest.

"Hey," Kix said, tenderly cupping his face, causing Hardcase's gaze to snapp back to him, "I want to be with you, okay?"  
Hardcase felt his stomach do a flip, while he felt his face heat up.  
That's how love was, sometimes it was like walking down a road in fall, painstakingly slow, while at other times it was like falling down the stairs.

"Are you free this afternoon?" Hardcase heard himself asking, tongue quicker than his brain.  
Of course he had noticed that Kix had had the day shift for the last days.  
"Yeah," Kix said slowly.  
"Then meet me at my cabin tonight," Hardcase said, quickly adding, "w-we can talk."  
Kix gave a bright smile, before he leaned forward to press a soft, quick kiss to Hardcase's lips.  
"I'd like that," he hummed, grinning.

"I've always said those cabins are just way too big," Kix said, once he stepped foot into their little house on this ship.  
Hardcase had been able to stay in that evening, apparently his foul mood had been obvious to everyone, and it had been easy to convince his mother that he was feeling under the weather.  
"Such a sensitive flower, your son," Padmé had said, and Shaak had nodded with a tight expression, but did let him go.

"It is," Hardcase huffed breathlessly.  
He didn't quite knew if he liked how fast this was all moving, so he did what he always did when he felt overwhelmed on this ship, he turned to the Baum paintings.

"Are those Baum's?" Kix asked and Hardcase wasn't sure if his ears weren't playing a trick on him.  
"Excuse me?"  
Kix was looking at one of the paintings, head tilted. "I had to attend a class about contemporary art my second year of med school."  
"Y-You went to med school?" Hardcase stammered.  
"Yes," Kix said offhandedly, "finished last year."  
"Then what are you on this ship for?"  
Kix shrugged his shoulders. "Needed a change of pace."

With that said he turned around, walking over to him so he could lay his hands on Hardcase's waist.  
But before he could do whatever it was that he had in mind, his eyes caught onto something behind him.  
"You drew these?" he asked astonished, hands slipping off of Hardcase as he moved around him.

"Ehm, yes," Hardcase said, once he realized Kix was looking at the pictures Ahsoka had hung on the walls.  
Some -okay many- were of Ahsoka, as she had been his only real company for the last months, some were of Rex, and there were two of the both of them together.

"I got an idea," Kix said, studying the picture Hardcase had drewn of Ahsoka and Rex, their faces were so close they were almost kissing each other. "How about you draw me," he said, turning back to face him.  
"D-Draw you," Hardcase stammered slowly.  
Kix nodded. "Like you drew Louise."  
Hardcase gulped. "Y-You mean," he awkwardly motioned to the officer uniform Kix was still wearing, for whatever reason, and Kix nodded.

"I have no problem with it," Kix assured him, already starting to unbutton his jacket, "unless you have a problem with it."  
Hardcase felt his face burning, while he watched Kix taking off his uniform jacket and the shirt below to reveal the skin underneath.  
"Is there a problem?" Kix asked slowly, hands on Hardcase's hips as he was so close to him again.

"Hey," he hummed soothingly, as Hardcase didn't answer even after nearly a minute, "Look at it this way: If all of this doesn't work out as planned, you'll have something to remember."  
Kix leaned foreward and kissed him softly, and that was what made Hardcase's mind settle.  
"Okay," he nodded.

It took him a moment to come up with what he wanted to do, and in the end he settled onto the thinker pose, unassuming enough.  
Kix raised a brow but did as Hardcase told him, and let him move him to his liking.  
"And now he turns all serious artist," Kix quipped once Hardcase took up his sketchbook, and did the first pen strokes,

"You know, models usually don't talk," Hardcase shot back, focused on his pen and paper.  
"I'm sorry," Kix said honestly, falling silent.  
"Don't scrunch your face up that much," Hardcase said a moment later, "relax your brows."  
"Like that?" Kix loosened the tension in between his brows and they went into a neutral line.  
"Yeah. Now close your eyes."  
Kix scrunched up his face again, but closed his eyes after a unhappily raised brow from Hardcase.

It took over an hour for Hardcase to finish, and in the end they were both surprised Kix didn't fell asleep.  
"It's good," Kix said, admiring Hardcase's work from over his shoulder, still starkly naked, "you are madly talented."  
He pressed a soft kiss to the side of his neck and Hardcase felt himself shiver.  
"Not now," he said quietly, turning his head so he could look back at Kix, knowing exactly what the other wanted, "not before all of this is over.“ And Kix understood.

While Kix got dressed again Hardcase stashed the picture in his mothers safe, telling Kix, as soon as they stepped back out of the cabin, that he was going to go along with their plan.  
But as they were just heading for the deck the mood dropped, as they both felt the ship shake.  
It was only slightly, but when Hardcase looked at Kix he knew that something was seriously wrong.

Everything went downhill from there.  
The ship was sinking and Hardcase and Kix were left clamoring to find Ahsoka and Rex.  
Padmé told them they had been gone for almost the entire evening, and Shaak mentioned that she saw Ahsoka heading off toward where the second class was housed.  
Thankfully Anakin was allowing no backtalk from either of them, as he stuffed the two women into a lifeboat, before he went off with them in search for his daughter.

It was a race against time, with time, and the water, not being on their side.  
They did manage to find the two, but lost Anakin to some exposed wires in the water.  
The water was raising too fast, and once they managed to get back to second class they got seperated again.

„We need to find them!“ Hardcase had screamed, but Kix hadn't allowed it.  
His self preservation instincts were kicked into high gear, and Hardcase wasn't able to do much but stumble after him, while Kix pulled him along.  
„Rex'll manage,“ he said clipped, pushing him up a flooded staircase and further upwards through the ship.

Once they finally managed to find their way back to first class, they were thoroughly trapped and drowning. Not only them, it was a whole bunch of people, which was somewhat comforting, Hardcase thought. Those thoughts turned out to be his last.

There was a blast from below them, which Kix would later learn was one of the boilers exploding, that set them free.  
For Hardcase, however, it came too late as he had already drowned.  
How Kix managed to survive the sinking after that was beyond him.   
Later he would attribute Lightoller a lot for that, as the officer rallied the men around him.

In New York he met Ahsoka again, who had managed to get out of the sinking alife, as well as Rex.  
Kix apologised profusely for having left them behind, but Rex assured him that he had actually done the same thing in the situation.  
It all seemed so damn unfair, but what could he do. He couldn't bring back the dead.

Kix got a job in a hospital and stayed as far away from any boats and ships as he could.  
Only times he got onto one again was when he enlisted in the army during the great war, and as he brought his future wife and her kids back from germany to the states.

Mischa was a unique woman, strong, both physically and mentally, and very unlike any woman Kix had ever been with.  
They were a good fit -Mischa had lost her husband in the war, and then pulled through to support her five kids during the war that tore throughout europe- they both came with quite some baggage.

They still had two sons, twins, that they named Senson and Mirek, Mirek being the older one.  
Mischa was understanding, just as Kix didn't bat an eye at her holding onto the old pictures of her dead husband, she listened to him talking about Hardcase, and it didn't matter how often he told her the story.

In the end it came as no surprise to Kix that somebody would find something of interest on the wreckage, but seeing that picture of himself on national television was indeed quite funny.  
Mischa asked him what he was laughing about, and couldn't help but snort herself as Kix pointed at the tv.  
The man that had found the safe, James Cameron or something, asked for help from the public to shed some light onto the history of the picture.  
But Kix wasn't up to it, even as word spread about a movie being made.

He died months into the production, and as the movie was finally released, and their grandkids insisted to watch it on VHS, Mischa couldn't stop but dial up Ahsoka, to ask her if she hadn't talked to Cameron.  
Ahsoka denied having done so, but did concede that the director had come pretty close to what had happened in reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, but there will be no steaming hot sex scene in this titanic AU.  
> Jack and Rose might be swinging that way but Hardcase is surely not, he just met Kix two days ago for fucks sake.
> 
> And yes, in this AU James Cameron found the picture of Kix in the wreckage, as he was filming down there for his planned movie about the titanic.  
> Nobody that was there during what happened talked to him, and he came up with the script to titanic without any outside help.  
> It is mere coincident that he managed to get this close to what happened in reality.


	37. Things you said with the tv on mute...

It was their first night out in months, and Kix had to admit that his wife was looking more and more appealing the longer they sat at this damn table.

"When was the last time we had sex?" he asked, half way through dessert.  
"Three weeks ago?" Hardcase asked, scrunching her face up as she tried to remember.  
Mirek and Senson had been quite the handfull the last few weeks.  
Especially with them struggling to get the blind twin used to the layout of their new house.

Kix had to grab Mirek multible times before he went tumbling down the stairs, because when Mirek was really tired he tended to forget that their new house had a second floor.

"Okay," Kix said slowly, lips turning upward into a wolfish grin, "and when was the last time we made out."  
"This morning." Hardcase grinned back at him.  
Kix leaned towards her. "How about we pay the bill and shake up my Camaro a bit?"  
And, to his honest surprise, Hardcase was actually down with this suggestion of exhibitionism.  
Well, she did make him drive into the nearest wooded area.

But the whole thought of anybody being able to walk past and see them, seemed to only highten the whole experience for Hardcase.  
And many would ask, what could go wrong, they were just having a little bit of innocent fun, but sadly Hardcase had forgotten that she had to take antibiotics for a case of tonsilitis, which meant that her birth controle wasn't working, and to top it all off she was ovulating.

"Is the time over yet?" Kix asked, putting the tv on mute.  
Ellen yapping on in the background about god only knew what wasn't the best backdrop, while he waited for the results of a pregnancy test.  
"No," Hardcase called from the bathroom.  
As Kix joined her she was seated on the closed toilet lid, Senson messing about with something he found in the bathtub next to her.

The minutes ticked by and Kix found himself counting the seconds, until he could see Hardcase inhale deeply.  
"Well," he asked, feeling his stomach drop.  
"It's blue," Hardcase said dejected, "I'm not pregnant."  
Kix huffed out a dejected sigh of his own, but didn't feel that feeling half as much as his wife.

"You know what, I'm relieved," Hardcase said now, "I just feel kind of sad..."  
And that was the moment Kix got up and walked out the bathroom door, without Hardcase noticing as she was way too focused on the pregnancy test she was staring at.  
"Because when I think about how beautiful our boys are, I keep wishing it had gone the other way."  
Hardcase looked up from the pregnancy test in her hand, hesitating as she noticed Kix was gone.  
"Kix?" She asked, only for Senson to mumble, "he left," as he finally managed to get the shark he was struggling to get.

That lead to the evening news reporting about a wayward emergency physician running over the main drag, screaming at the top of his lungs, "she is not pregnant" and "it came out blue" and "IT'S BLUE!".

Safe to say that Hardcase wasn't at all in a good mood as she came to bail her husband out of jail, telling the officers that she would've liked to leave him there for a week, but her brother had talked sense into her.  
And Jesse had only done that because he had made a deal with Mirek, to get a video of the fight that was sure to come.


	38. Things you said while holding my hand...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had planned for this to be a Hunger Games AU, but I don't know nearly enough about that universe to write in it.  
> Maybe some other time...

„They are doing it again,“ Tup whispered, and Echo flinched slightly as he hadn't counted on being so rudely interrupted.  
„Who's doing what?“ he asked with a sigh, taking his eyes off the datapad he'd been reading.  
Tup pointed over at where Hardcase and Kix were talking about force only knew what. 

Echo looked over and chuckled softly under his breath as he saw the two of them holding hands.  
They had all been noticing them doing that over the last couple of weeks.  
Sometimes he even thought they weren't even noticing it anymore.  
Even now it seemed as if Hardcase hadn't realized that Kix had grabbed his hand.

„What are you smiling about?“ Fives asked, sitting down next to Tup, who nodded his head in Hardcase and Kix' direction.   
„Force,“ Fives groaned, „Get a room, you two!“  
„Shut up,“ Kix shot back, not even sparing him a glance.

Of course it wasn't only their fellow trooper that noticed that their medic and resident jester were more then just close, their commander did too.  
„Say Jesse,“ Ahsoka said, slowly stepping closer to him, „Why are Hardcase and Kix sitting like this?“  
They were in the messhall, she had just wanted to get herself some caf, but instead she had walked in on quite the strange scene. 

Hardcase and Kix were sitting at the same table, backs turned to each other, but they were still holding hands.   
Jesse huffed a big breath, crossing his arms over his chest.   
„They had a fight,“ he sighed.   
Ahsoka nodded. „Then why are they holding hands?“ she asked confused.

Jesse nodded his head. „They get sad when they fight,“ he said professionally.  
Ahsoka nodded again. „What were they fighting about?“  
Jesse sighed. „You know how Hardcase sometimes talks about getting married and having kids?“  
„Yes.“  
„Well,“ Jesse said slowly, „Kix says thinking about that is pointless because of... you know...“  
He motioned between them, and around the room awkwardly, and Ahsoka understood.

„Oh.“  
„Yeah,“ Jesse huffed.   
„But why won't he just let him think about it?“ Ahsoka asked, not noticing how Hardcase perked up at what she said, and also not noticing how Jesse slashed his finger across his throat, „it's not like Hardcase is hurting anybody with it.“

„Yeah Kix,“ Hardcase snapped, „it's not like I'm hurting anybody.“  
Ahsoka pulled a face, before looking at Jesse apologetically. Jesse just shrugged his shoulders.  
The next thing they knew Hardcase and Kix were back to fighting with each other, but before they could intervene Kix set an end to it all, by yelling, „You are hurting me, alright!?“

„What?“ Hardcase asked, after quite some time spend in silence.  
„You are hurting me,“ Kix repeated.  
They had turned back to each other, so Hardcase could see the honesty in Kix' face.   
„Hearing you talk about marriage, and wanting a little girl. That's killing me,“ Kix said, voice sounding a little bit choked up. „You know, the other night I actually dreamed about taking Invicta to school.“

„Invicta?“ Ahsoka asked without thinking, but Hardcase answered anyways.  
„I'd really like that name for a girl,“ he said, though he was looking at Kix. „Was it a private school or a public school?“  
„A private one,“ Kix said, who also only had eyes for Hardcase.   
Hardcase made some strange sounding cooing noise, before leaning foreward and pulling Kix into a bear hug.

„And that,“ Jesse said loudly, while pointing at the two, „Is what I have to deal with on the daily!“


	39. Things you said when we first met...

They all had writing on their bodies, of the thing their soulmate would say to them first.  
They were all done in their soulmates handwriting, causing some to have problems with deciphering what their marks said.  
„I don't know, but they're either asking me to _move over_ , or asking me for pizza,“ Echo hummed, squinting at the writing on the back of his hand.  
„Are you sure it doesn't say mitochondria?“ Nub asked, also frowning at Echo's soulmark.

It turned out to be the first.  
Not many met their soulmate as early as Echo did, in middle school, as the new kid asked him to move over in the hallway.  
„Still better than just having _'Sorry'_ written on your chest,“ Hevy grumbled.

Dogma's soulmark read, _'For gods sake, would you shut it!?'_ , while Tup's read, _'that's not an argument'_ in thight, neat handwriting.  
They met first during debate club in college, and were thankfull their marks didn't say 'no it doesn't' and 'yeah it does', since their debate club wasn't filled with the brightest candles in the chandelier.

Jesse's mark said, _'I mean, I knew police officers were hot. But wow'_ in big, capitol letters, leading him to know what he would end up doing for a job at one point in his life.  
„Man, I want to be a dinosaur man,“ Jesse whined, once his words appeared on his upper arm.  
He was extremely obsessed with Jurassic Park as a kid, and couldn't beliefe how he would ever end up working as a police officer.  
Fives' mark said, _'So, you have to be the police captain,'_ and he was extremely sad about his words not matching up with Echo. But as he met Jesse later on, he did concede that fate knew what it was doing.

Those were all some quite nice stories but Hardcase managed to top them all.  
At age eleven his words appeared, and they said, _'I can't believe that Dumbledore just died!'_ in neat enough writing, with a slight right tilt.  
„What the heck is a Dumbledore,“ Kef asked, and Hardcase was left shrugging his shoulders.

It would take three more years before the books came out, and two more before the movies started and Hardcase was pissed.  
He started out the series knowing that one of his favorite characters was going to die, and he spend all those years with his eyes peeled for that one person that had spoiled the whole series for him.  
But not until they all went to see 'the half blood prince' for the third time in theaters -Hevy liking the movie really much, while Echo couldn't stop bitching about how he hated the casting choice for Narcissa- did Hardcase find out who had spoiled the whole series for him. 

Hevy had decided to bring some of the guys he knew along, which was kinda okay and kinda not.  
Kinda not because Hardcase had a crush on one of them, which was also why he hadn't talked to him at all the whole evening, until they all walked out of the theatre.

„I can't believe that Dumbledore just died!“ Kix said dejected, and within a second Hardcase wiped around to stare at him, before he yelled, _„Oh my god, it's you. I hate you!“_

They both froze up instantly and so did everyone around them.  
„What?“ Kix said, after quite some time, looking bewildered and amazed all at once.  
„You spoiled the whole series for me, you dickhead,“ Hardcase growled, pushing up the sleeve of his hoodie to show Kix the writing on his forearm.  
„Holy crap,“ Kix whispered in amazement, unceremoniously taking off the left sleeve of his jacket to show him the writing in the crook of his arm.  
Hardcase recognized the big, wide letters of his own handwriting. 

„And here I always wondered what I could've done to make my soulmate this mad,“ he said, chuckling awkwardly.  
„Oh, nothing major,“ Hardcase snorted, „Just spoiling the best thing I've ever read.“  
„Will you be able to forgive me?“ Kix asked and Hardcase caved under his puppy dog eyes.  
„Maybe,“ he still mumbled petulantly.

Kix turned out to have two soulmarks, the second one beloging to his ex girlfriend, though Kix didn't talk about her often as she had died in a car crash.  
The mark was on the left side of his head, which was why Kix had let his hair grow out, so he wouldn't have to constantly look at it.  
Hardcase had been able to read it though, one morning as they were laying in bed and Kix was still asleep.

 _'No, the only good communist is a dead one,'_ it read in a pretty but angular writing.  
„Did you meet in college or something?“ Hardcase asked, once Kix was awake and he touched on the subject.  
„No, we were talking about her home country and how much she disliked east germany.“  
„So she was german?“  
„Prussian,“ Kix said klipped, and quickly added, „is basically the same,“ as Hardcase frowned confused. That was the only thing Kix would say about his ex, as the wound was still too open, even after all these years.

„What does your mark say, uncle Resol,“ Senson asked one day, as they were just coming back from one of his baseball games.  
„Nothing!“ Resol and Kix both shouted simultaneously, Resol clamping a hand around his wrist, while Kix pushed his brother foreward so they wouldn't be standing next to the kids anymore.

 _'I would suck your dad's dick, just to get a taste of you,'_ wasn't something either of them wanted the kids to know was Resol's soulmark.  
Resol had answered with a caughed, _„Well, nice to know what you would like to do to my father,“_ after having beer come shooting out of his nose.  
Neck had decided that that pick up line was just the right thing to say to Resol, as they met a few weeks back in a bar.

He hadn't counted on Kix however, who had slid in between him and Resol, growling, „Back the fuck off, dude, he's sixteen.“  
„The fuck, Kix, I'm not sixteen,“ Resol had said indignant, before Kix had roughly grabbed his upper arm. „We're leaving!“

It would take three more weeks before Kix allowed Resol to meet up with Neck again.  
Not that Kix had any authority to order him around, they were both adults, but Kix had told their mother what had happened and she agreed that, even though Neck was Resol's soulmate, they should have a closer look at the situation and not rush into it headfirst.

While watching Kix' whole family have a screaming match about Resol's soulmate, Hardcase was extremely relieved that Kix had only spoiled his favorite book series.


	40. Things you said when you met my parents...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really needed to write something in-universe again.

Let it be said that Rex actually just wanted to prevent any shit from hitting the fan but maybe he shouldn't have chosen this specific time.   
Maybe he should have remembered that Kix had just lost his spleen, was still dealing with the fallout of that, while also struggling with the medication and his general health.  
Maybe he should have still waited a few weeks more.  
As it was, maybe he was indeed insanely stupid and down with a death wish, as Kix liked to say about all of torent; jedi commander and general's not being exempt. 

„Kix,“ Rex said, once he managed to corner the medic in the on call room, „We need to begin the conversation about Hardcase and you.“  
Kix turned to look at him, with an expression of utter affront. „There is no conversation we need to have,“ he said curtly.

Rex took a big stadying breath, before he pushed on. „Look, this stuff could get pretty messy for all of us. Hardcase has no self controle and you just lost your spleen two weeks ago.“  
Now Kix' expression turned from affront to anger.  
„That's a load of bantha crap,“ he hissed, „Are you actually trying to say that I'm not to be trusted. What? Strung out on painkillers? Look at me,“ He stepped close enough into Rex' personal bubble so that the captain was perfectly able to have a nice, good look into his eyes, „You know what opiates look like. My eyes pinnned?“ Kix growled, teeths bared at him, „I haven't taken a pill in over a month!“ 

With that said he pushed past Rex, to get out the door, but seemed to think better of it.  
„And don't you think you're being a little hypocritical?“ he asked scornfully, snorting, „'Messy for all of us'? Coming from the right guy, who has a thing with our commander. Not to mention Cody getting it on with general Kenobi.“  
Rex stared at him. „How did you?-“  
„Ah please, it's plainly obvious,“ Kix snorted, „So, the last person I wanna hear talking about what's gonna get messy for all of us is you. Got it.“

„Well, what did you expect?“ Ahsoka asked, once Rex told her about what had happened.  
„Well, I expected Kix not to take it that well, but I didn't expect him to go down on me like that,“ Rex admitted ruefully.  
Ahsoka shrugged her shoulders, and Rex frowned. „You don't seem at all surprised about Hardcase and Kix being a couple,“ he said slowly, raising a brow at the young togruta.  
„I might have already talked to them,“ Ahsoka admitted, fidgeting around with her fork.  
„How'd it go?“ Rex asked interested.   
„Better then yours.“

Ahsoka paused, choosing to stay back instead of moving further into the supplie room, so that she could eavesdrop on the two before busting into something she shouldn't.   
„Kix, you know me,“ Hardcase quipped, „Seriously, why does it even matter?“   
„You know why, 'case.“ 

The back and forth was harmless, but to Ahsoka what stood out was the familiarity of it all.   
The sheer domesticity of Kix and Hardcase's relationship had become more and more clear to her lately.   
She could hear Kix outright laugh at something now, and Ahsoka's heart clenched because she hadn't heard Kix laugh like that in a long time.

Their bickering had now given way to Hardcase asking Kix if he thought he should dye Rex' hair blue, and as Ahsoka peeped around the corner she saw the two cuddled up against each other.  
Hardcase was sitting on a crate with Kix standing in between his spread legs, with the older trooper's fingers absentmindedly carding over Hardcase's neck as they chatted quietly to one another.

And for some reason, what stood out to Ahsoka was how Hardcase had a tired smile on his face and a glazed out look as he looked at Kix.   
It was as if they had completely forgotten where they were, and Ahsoka couldn't help but grin a little at the sight.

She decided to give them a few more minutes before making her presence known, as she moved toward them with decidedly more noise produced then she would normally.  
Kix flinched and stumbled back a step, so he wouldn't be as close to Hardcase anymore, while their resident jester leaned back, pretending to be casual, but Ahsoka could see the shock in his eyes.  
„Don't worry,“ she said quickly, „I'm not here to rack on you.“

That had Hardcase relax considerably, while Kix still looked at her with a guarded expression.  
„Can we talk?“ Ahsoka asked.   
Kix shifted, so that he was now really standing in between Hardcase and Ahsoka, not unlike a wolf protecting a pack mate from a bear.  
„What about?“ he asked, maybe a bit more forceful then he should. 

In face of his hostility, Ahsoka raised her hands. „It's allright. I just wanna ask for advise.“  
„Advise?“ Hardcase said.   
Kix hissed something at him, which she couln't quite catch but Hardcase didn't seem detracted.  
„Yeah,“ Ahsoka nodded, taking a seat on one of the crates around them, „relationship advise to be exact.“   
„What makes you think we-“   
„Go on,“ Hardcase interrupted Kix, leaning foreward interested.  
Kix huffed a big sigh, before finally relenting. He walked around him so that he could stand behind Hardcase, and rest his hands on Hardcase's shoulders, in a mutual gesture of support.

„You two,“ Ahsoka started, pointing at them before starting to wring her hands. „How do you manage to keep it from everyone else, but stay this close? I mean-“ She started biting her bottom lip, scratching her forearm nervously, „Don't you wanna tell people about it?“  
„We did,“ Hardcase said, „And you just told us, didn't you?“

„You just need to know who you can tell that won't blab it around,“ Kix added.  
Ahsoka nodded. „And how do you keep it that well hidden? I mean,“ she shrugged a shoulder, „I saw you two in here and... you just seemed so close and all. Just how do you do it?“  
„Compromise,“ Kix said, „Keep it publicly to a minimum. Knowing the routines of the people close to you, so you can find time for just the two of you.“ A small smile tugged at his mouth. „It also helps when your partner already is a huge fluff ball.“

Hardcase chuckled, leaning his head back against Kix arm.  
„Okay,“ Ahsoka nodded, „and what if my partner is the problem?“  
Hardcase turned his head, exchanging a look with Kix.   
„Talk to him,“ Kix finally said.   
„Rex really likes you,“ Hardcase agreed, „he'll listen to you.“  
„And if he won't,“ Kix added, „give us a heads up and we'll knock some sense into him.“  
That managed to tickle a small chuckle out of Ahsoka. „Thank you,“ she smiled. 

„You allowed Kix to 'knock some sense' into me!?“ Rex snapped, looking utterly betrayed.  
Ahsoka shrugged, eating her lunch with an air of superiority. „Sometimes you are a chore,“ she said nonchalantly.   
Rex groaned, now Kix' foul mood made a lot more sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be real, Rex and Ahsoka are so totally the parents of torent.


	41. Things you said you loved about me...

„How do you even know it was me that hit Junto?“ Senson asked, sounding all innocent and confused, while making huge puppy dog eyes at the principal.  
But their principal wasn't having any of his crap. „Well, I have an entire hallway full of students and teachers telling me what happened,“ the man in his late fourties said.  
Somebody knocked on the door and thankfully their principal took his attention off them, so that Senson could hiss at Sirca. „Next time delete that shit!“  
„Was too good,“ Sirca chuckled, „Especially how Junto wouldn't stop crying.“

„Ahem!“  
Both boys flinched before looking up at their principal, who glared down at them, and Hardcase who had a dark expression that had both of them swallow.  
The boyfriend of Senson's father was usually always a good natured and fun person, seeing him be all serious like this wasn't making them feel any better about their looming expulsions.  
Especially Sirca, who's mother would make his life a living hell should he really get himself expelled.

„What happened?“ Hardcase asked sternly.  
„They-“ the principal started, but Hardcase held up his hand, effectively silencing him.  
„I wanna hear it from them first.“

A moment of silence, then Sirca burst out, „He's a dickhead!“  
„Sirca!“ Senson hissed, but the long haired boy shook his head. „He is, and everybody knows that.“  
„What happened?“ Hardcase asked.  
„Junto was mocking Mirek again because he's blind. But Mirek didn't react to it, so Junto bumped into him. That's when I told him he should back off,“ Sirca explained.  
„But instead he kicked Mirek's cane out from under him,“ Senson chimed in.  
„And that's when Senson went postal on his ass,“ Sirca said, grinning broadly, „best beatdown I've seen in a long time.“

„And not what happened according to Junto,“ the principal threw in.  
„That idiot is a lying piece of trash,“ Sirca hissed, „bad for him I got it all on tape.“  
He motioned for the principal to hand him his phone, and under Hardcase's glare he did hand it back. Senson leaned over his phone, before showing both adults the video.

It showed Mirek and Senson, both with their back turned to the camera, moving through the schools hallways, and talking.   
Then a kid blocked their way, asking Mirek if he couldn't see where he was going.   
Mirek answered that he, indeed, couldn't see where he was going, with his usuall air of confidence.  
Junto let go of some more choice words, which Mirek just ignored.  
Then the kid shoved Mirek out of his way, at which point Sirca, from behind the camera, told the kid to back off. There was an exchange between Mirek and Junto, Junto kicked the cane Mirek used to navigate out of the older twins hands, and then Senson went indeed postal on Junto.

„Aha,“ Hardcase hummed, once Sirca stopped the video, just as some teachers came running to seperate Senson and Junto. He turned to the principal, crossing his arms in front of himself. „So. You wanna tell me that you called me here for something that was evidently not the boys fault?“  
„The other boy has a broken nose and a black eye,“ the principal snapped.  
„Should feel lucky it was just that,“ Hardcase shot back, „When I was a kid we wouldn't have stopped until we cracked at least a rib.“

He motioned for the boys to stand up and turned for the door.  
„What are you-?“ the principal started, but Hardcase cut him short.  
„I'm gonna take the boys home, as was suggested. But I'm gonna be sending them back to school tomorrow. As it is evident to me that Senson only acted the way he did to defend his handicapped brother.“  
He shot the principal a hard glare that wasn't leaving any room for further discussions. „And if you are having a mind to suspend them, or even expell them, you can call my lawyer.“  
He placed a card onto the principals desk, before leaving the office, Senson and Sirca in toe.

„Holy crap, that was amazing!“ Sirca cheered, once the door to the office was closed behind him, and Mirek joined them on their way out of the school.  
„Might be,“ Hardcase agreed, he sounded a bit more short-spoken then usual, „That video-“  
„I only kept it because it proved that Senson did nothing wrong,“ Sirca explained, „Uncle Slick said to better delete everything that can be used against you, unless you can use it to fuck somebody else over.“  
Hardcase huffed a sigh, massaging the bridge of his nose. „I really need to talk to Slick,“ they heard him mumble.

The ride back home was uneventfull, appart from the fact that Hardcase was unusually quiet.  
Finally in the driveway of their house Hardcase told Sirca he should head home, as his mother was waiting up on him.  
„Man, I thought I could avoid that,“ Sirca grumbled, kicking up some dust with his feet.  
He said his goodbyes and went home, not answering his phone for three hours, before finally calling and explaining that his mother had lectured him for two hours straight.

Apparently the school had called her out of a business meeting and she and the korean investors hadn't been happy about it, until she managed to talk the secretary of the principal into accepting Hardcase as Sirca's transient guardian, as her husband was also at work.

„Thanks that you took care of that,“ Kix said, once they entered the house.  
He had been busy with something neither Mirek nor Senson should know of, but did anyways.  
The night before there had been a shootout between members of the torent mob and the kolpa gang, and their father had still been involved with the clean up as the school called.

„I can't go to the school, I'm up to my elbows in that guys intestines,“ Kix had hissed, „You have to go there.“  
„Me!?“ Hardcase had squeaked.  
„Yes, you,“ Kix hissed, „I put you in the paperwork as a legal guardian. There should be no problem.“  
„But I don't even know what to do-“  
„You know Senson and Mirek, you'll figure it out,“ Kix had said clipped, fiddling about with some long and mean looking surgical clamps, „Now go. I got my hands full here.“

And just as Kix had predicted, Hardcase had managed to figure it out.  
He had remembered how Kix usually handled stuff at school.  
Once, he had tagged along as Kix talked some sense into one of Mirek's teachers.   
„You are calling me here for a missed signature!?“ Kix had yelled, making everyone around them stare at them. He hadn't waited to talk to the poor woman in her office, but instead given her the lecture of her lifetime right there in the hallway.

„I love how full of surprises you are,“ Kix grinned, once Senson had told his father what had transpired between his fathers boyfriend and the principal.  
„Not gonna lie, but it kinda felt amazing,“ Hardcase grinned, before frowning, „Is that weird?“ 

Hardcase was still not quite used to the fact that Kix worked for the mob, as well as a lot of Kix' friends. He was a firefighter after all, he had no idea about stuff like that.  
If he knew just how many of the guys in the police force were also dirty and working with the mob he would be sick to his stomach.  
Which was why Kix had told Fives to wait another half year or so before springing that news to him. 

„I think you earned yourself a reward,“ Kix purred, leaning into Hardcase's personal space, and Senson groaned before throwing a hand over his eyes. In moments like this he was truly envious of his twin brother for being blind.  
„You're gonna watch 27 dresses with me and eat ice cream?“ Hardcase grinned.  
Kix' face fell, before he caught himself and laughed.

„Oh,“ Hardcase said, turning red, „you meant sex, right?“  
„Yeah,“ Kix chuckled, „but that sounds good too. And besides,“ he leaned closer to whisper into his ear, „the night's still young.“  
„Ugh,“ Mirek could be heard fake retching from the stairs, „I don't wanna know what you two are gonna do tonight, dad.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mafia AU.  
> A lot of the discribed interactions between Hardcase and Kix with the principal and teachers is based on what my dad told me about his days in primary school.  
> Apparently the mother of two of his friends was a madam that wasn't shying away from showing up in the school and giving the teachers a piece of her mind.


	42. Things you said when you asked me to marry you...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really, really not feeling like writing today, can you tell? :P  
> Anyways, this had been an idea since I first read the prompt; and was inspired by the song 'suds in the bucket'.
> 
> Running off to Vegas to get married.  
> Just Cause.

Everyone always told them not to move too fast. Kix himself had told Hardcase multible times that he was moving too fast, when he was always talking about having kids and getting married.   
They were just getting finished with college for crying out loud.  
But the prospect of moving out of state for his residency seemed to have been the last straw for Kix.

„Wow, Wow,“ Hardcase said, holding up his hands, „Come again?“  
„I said,“ Kix said slowly, „We should get married.“  
Hardcase just stared at him for some time. „Just like that?“ he finally managed and Kix nodded.  
„Why not?“ he asked, a broad grin on his face that made him look insane rather than joyous, „We're old enough and know that we love each other, what else do we need.“  
„A car,“ Hardcase said lamely.  
Kix needed a second, but then his grin grew even wider as he realized that Hardcase was finally starting to come down with his madness.  
„You thinking the same thing I'm thinking?“ he asked, to be sure.  
„Yeah,“ Hardcase was now also grinning, „Vegas baby!“

Which did raise the question of how they were gonna get there, as Kix' car was at the repair shop, and the only car Hardcase could use, his mothers, had caught fire a few days ago.

„Cody!?“ Cody growled as he was now interrupted in his endeavor of trying to make out with Rex for the felt hundreth time.   
„What?“ he snapped, as he saw his brother poking his head around the corner.  
„Can I borrow your car?“ Kix asked.  
„I don't know, can you?“ Rex chuckled, thoroughly amused at Cody's foul mood.

„Well, I can actually,“ Kix said, nonchalantly holding up the keys to his brothers car, „I just thought I'd ask first. You know, being nice for once.“  
„What do you even wanna do?“ Rex ask, seemingly more interested in Kix' plans than his own brother.

„Heading for Vegas to get married!“ Hardcase grinned, appearing at Kix' shoulder like some kind of hyper active gremlin.   
„What!?“ Rex caughed, choking on the air he was breathing.   
„Yeah,“ Kix seemed to be in agreement with Hardcase for once, sadly, „Seems like a really great idea.“  
„No, Kix, seems like a really bad idea,“ Rex said, trying to get out of Cody's vice like grip.  
Because for some reason Cody had his arms slung around him and was preventing him from getting his phone.

„You know what, go for it,“ Cody said, fishing some money out of his pocket and throwing it at Kix, „Here, take my car. If you go now, you'll beat the traffic.“  
Kix and Hardcase stared at him for a moment, then at the money before they spun on their heels and were off down the hall.  
„Thanks Cody,“ Kix called over his shoulder, „You're the best.“  
„Keep him from calling Jesse for at least an hour,“ Hardcase yelled.

The front door banged shut and Rex turned to stare at Cody wide eyed. „What the fuck,“ he said slowly.  
„What!“ Cody whined, „I finally wanna be undisturbed with you.“  
„And now Kix and Hardcase are headed for Vegas!“ Rex shot back.  
„What's your point?“ Cody groaned, leaning closer to nuzzle his neck.  
„They're dumb and they'll die.“  
Cody froze up instantly. „Jesus Christ, what have I done.“  
„Get off me, and let me finally call Jesse. We can still catch up to them.“

Cody rolled off of him instantly and hit the ground with a loud thud, while Rex fumbled for his phone. Thankfully he had Jesse on speed dial and the police trainee answered after the third ring.  
„Masters,“ he answered, and Rex immediately hurried to explain.  
„Jesse, please down flip out, but Kix and Hardcase might be heading to Vegas to get married.“  
„THEY ARE WHAT!?“ was yelled so loudly that Rex thought he could feel his ear drums rupture.  
„Please, Jesse, calm down,“ Rex pleaded.  
„Calm down? I AM UTTERLY CALM!“ Jesse yelled, and they could hear crashing.  
„I am going to kill Kix.“  
„While you're at it,“ Rex hurried to say, „could you please pick us up, 'cause Cody kinda gave them his car.“  
„But just because I'm heading your way,“ Jesse said, and there was the sound of a car door slamming shut.  
„Your mom's gonna kill Cody,“ a voice said, that they recognized to be Fives.

Ten minutes later his Van stopped at the Sullivan residency, and Rex and Cody hurried to get inside.  
„You are retarded,“ Jesse hissed, once the doors were closed and Fives drove off down the road again. „Retarded. Retarded. Retarded! Why did you give them your car?“  
„I kinda sorta also gave them two hundred dollars,“ Cody admitted.  
„Perfect,“ Jesse groaned, throwing his hands into the air, „So we can't even hope for them to run out of gas.“

„What were you thinking!?“ Fives hissed, turning to look at Cody in the backseat.  
„Eyes on the road!“ Rex snapped and Fives' attention snapped back to the road.  
„I was thinking,“ Cody hissed very slowly, „that I just wanted to fuck my damn boyfriend in peace.“  
Rex groaned, as did Fives and Jesse slumped into his seat.  
„Great,“ he huffed, „the reason my mom's going to kill me is because Cody is hormonal as hell.“

**To be continued...**


	43. Things you said in your vows...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, again, I didn't feel like writing.  
> But here is the end to the Vegas wedding debacle.  
> Well, is it the end...?

Cody hadn't managed to hold Jesse off for an hour. In fact, mere fifteen minutes after they started on their journey Hardcase's phone started buzzing continuously, to the point where he decided to shut it off. Kix shut off his phone half an hour later, after booking them a quickie wedding for the following day.  
From there on out it was a race against time, and against the others, who were trying to stop them. 

Hardcase spend the first three hours constantly looking over his shoulders, expecting a familiar car to be showing up behind them.  
However, around the fifth hour he stopped and just stared out the window.

„Don't you think we are being a bit too overhasty. I mean, maybe this was a bad idea,“ Hardcase wondered, around the seventh hour on the road.  
„Okay, first of all, that realization comes kinda late,“ Kix said, being all jittery behind the steering wheel as he was on quite some 'Monster' energy drinks, „And second, I am moving out of state in two months. I will get married to you tomorrow, at all costs.“  
Hardcase couldn't stop himself from giving a truly embarrassing sound.  
„Sometimes I forget how cute you can be,“ he snickered, leaning over to kiss Kix on the cheek.

Of all the things that could go wrong they had to get caught up in the afternoon traffic on the highway. Seemed like Cody had been right, and him sending Kix and Hardcase off at the time he did had given the two a massive head start.  
Hardcase's phone got turned off shortly after Jesse started calling him, and Kix' was switched off about half an hour later.  
Jesse had called Beil and explained the situation, and implored his older brother not to tell anything to their mother, since she would likely have a heart attack. But that meant they needed to somehow get to Las Vegas before Hardcase and Kix, or somehow manage to crash their wedding.

They needed to switch drivers half way through the ride, Cody taking over the wheel and using some risky manouvres to weave his way through all the cars on the highway.  
Thankfully the traffic wasn't that bad anymore once it got dark out, the streets nearly empty for them to make some headway.  
Once the sun rose, and they finally drove into the city of lights Jesse had his phone in hand and started calling every place that hosted weddings at a low price.  
It took him almost half an hour but he finally managed to hunt them down to the 'Paradise Wedding Chapel'.

„Thank god,“ Jesse gasped, as they sprinted their way in. Hardcase and Kix were still standing in front of the doors to the chapel, both looking extremely run down.   
„Thank god, we weren't too late,“ Jesse nearly sobbed, as he took his younger brother into a bone crushing hug. „Do you realize what mom would do to me, had you guys really gone through with this.“

„What do you mean 'if'?“ Hardcase gasped, as he was being crushed, „We did.“  
Jesse let him go, and his face lost all color once Kix wave around with a piece of paper.  
„You fucking bonehead,“ Jesse cursed, grabbing the paper and staring at the wedding certificate.  
„You!“ he growled, pointing at Kix, but before he could launch himself at Kix Rex grabbed him around the middle.  
„Jesse! Jesse, calm down.“

„How am I supposed to calm down,“ Jesse yelled, „MY MOTHER'S GONNA KILL ME!“  
He tore himself free and held the certificate up in front of himself, on the brink of tearing it.  
„That won't solve anything,“ Kix said, grinning stupidly from sleep deprivation and being overcharged with energy shots, „besides, we would still need that to get divorced.“  
„We're gonna get divorced?!“ Hardcase gasped, staring at Kix wide-eyed.  
„No,“ Kix said decidedly, „No matter what your mother or Jesse does. We are married now and we're gonna stay married.“

„Oh and don't worry about mom, we got a tape of the whole thing,“ Hardcase said, once they had gotten a hotel room for the night, since none of them were up to driving the whole way back to Wyn.  
Fives really wanted to watch the video of the wedding, so that was what they did.  
Well, Fives, Jesse and Rex did, as Kix and Hardcase had fallen asleep immediately once they had gotten into bed, and Cody fell asleep ten minutes in.

Fives couldn't help but bust out laughing as Kix, in his sleep deprived state, seemingly had been under the impression that they needed wedding vows (which they didn't), which left him clamoring for something to say.  
In the end he recided something from 'When Harry met Sally', and Hardcase wouldn't stop laughing.


	44. Things you said before kissing me...

The door to the supply room was closed, lights on as he opened it, and went into the room.   
Hardcase found Kix at the far wall of the room going through some shelves.   
„Hey,“ he murmured as Hardcase walked closer, „how was your day?“  
„Allright,“ Hardcase nodded, „but boring.“

Kix nodded, turning towards him. „Hope you didn't do anything crazy,“ he hummed, laying the instrument bags he'd been holding off to the side.  
Hardcase grinned impishly. „Nah, Just put some colours on Dogma's datapad,“ he shrugged.  
Kix nodded. „So so,“ he replied in the same low tone, which was quickly changing from one of polite interest to something filled with intent, „and you still think I'll give you your kiss?“  
Hardcase shrugged, smiling innocently. „I know you will.“   
Kix didn't need telling twice, had always been quick on the uptake. With sure footed steps he went straight up to him, kissing him.


	45. Things you said on new year's eve...

They were stuck on base, on the night of all nights, new year's. Or as the countries natives would call it, 'Silvester'.  
Just why were they only gonna get back home after new year's, what did they do to their higher ups?  
Well, Fives had back talked to Krell a week back, maybe that's why the general had left them here on Ramstein, on new year's eve.

And new year's seemed to be quite the event in germany, everyone was going crazy.  
Everyone was starting to drink around 7 pm and the fireworks, oh lord, the fireworks.  
Everyone was stockpiling them as if world war three was about to start, and they were able of repelling tanks or something.

„This is madnes,“ Jesse said astonished, as the teenagers of the town started with the fireworks around 10 pm, instead of midnight.  
He watched in utter bafflement how the kids started their fireworks by holding the sticks of the rockets in their hands, not from a bottle, as was safer.  
„Is it always this way?“  
„Yeah,“ Cody chuckled, „I remember, my first new year's out and about, I got hit by a quarter stick.“ His eyes sparked with nostalgia, as he watched the teens rocket shoot up into the sky and explode.  
Rex stared at him. „You are kidding...!“  
„No,“ Cody chuckled, „My ears were all ringy and stuff but, oh boy, was that a great night.“

Rex looked over at Kix, hoping their medic would tell him that his brother was just talking bullshit.  
_„Weißt du, das Wort Sanitäter kommt vom Lateinischen 'Sanitas', was Gesundheit bedeutet, und dem Wort Täter,“_ Kix giggled stupidly, _„Was wohl heißt das ich ein Gesundheits Täter bin.“_  
„Kix.“  
„Huh?“ Kix turned, stumbling and being held up by Hardcase.  
„Is new years always this crazy around here?“ Rex asked. He took a look around himself, staring at the smoke that was starting to hang low over the ground because of all the fireworks being set off prematurely.  
„Oh, yeah,“ Kix chuckled, „Just wait until midnight.“

And at midnight it got even crazier. Everyone, just everyone, set off fireworks.  
For gods sake there were kids, that were barely even ten years old, setting off little toy tornados.  
„I love the smell of fireworks in the morning,“ Kix laughed madly, before pulling Hardcase in for a kiss, „but not as much as I love you!“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kix said: "You know, the word Sanitäter (paramedic) comes from the latin word 'sanitas', which means health, and the word Täter (offender). Which probably means that I am a health offender."
> 
> I will probably stop those germany references, never.


	46. Things you said when you kissed me good night...

It was well past 2 am when Hardcase shuffled his way into the messhall, huffing a breath as he saw Kix sitting at one of the tables.  
„Can't sleep?“ he asked, laying his hands onto Kix' shoulders and massaging the knots there.  
He felt Kix lean into his touch, and saw his shoulders lift as he took a deep, steadying breath.

It wasn't unusuall to find one or more of their medics in the messhall, well past lights out.  
All of them slept more then lightly, and most of them were having issiues with nightmares and/or insomnia.

Resol had his phases, at least once a month he would have a week where he slept way less then usuall.  
Ferns and Baldria would only get to bed around 2 am, and only sleep until 5, maybe 6 am.  
Jayhawk usually took care of any shinys, while Spina was the only one that managed to get to bed on a bit of a reasonable time; though he only slept four to five hours at most, and was up well before anyone else.  
Kix' sleeping habits were well within the norm.

„You wanna sleep with me?“ Hardcase asked, and Kix nodded before the question had even fully been asked.  
They had started this arrangement a few weeks after Hardcase had been assigned to torent.  
He didn't even knew why, but somehow he woke up one morning to Kix laying next to him.  
And that had been well before they even started being involved.

Kix said it was just something about him that seemed to soothe his frayed nerves, and honestly if it was helping Kix with his fucked up sleeping schedule, then Hardcase was perfectly fine with waking up to Kix laying next to him, or worming his way into his bunk bed.

They made their way back into the barracks, and Hardcase layed down first so that Kix could cuddle up to his side.  
But Kix didn't go to sleep immediately, he never did.  
Most of the time they spend talking to each other in hushed voices, and this day wasn't different.  
Kix asked about his day and listened to him talking about how he had accidentally tripped Jesse, and his batchmate had ended up tackling Tup to the floor.  
Then Hardcase listened to Kix talk about some girl Jayhawk had met on his last shore leave, until Kix' voice started to get quieter.

„Should probably test him,“ was the last thing Kix mumbled drowsily, before he fell silent.   
Hardcase smiled to himself as he looked down at Kix' quietly snoring head that was pressed to his chest.  
If it meant that Kix got a bit more sleep Hardcase would play teddy bear any day of the week.


	47. Things you said in a motel room...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole chapter is inspired by the movie 'Joy Ride'.

It was summer break and the only thing Hardcase wanted to do was get into his car and hit the road, so he could get himself back home.  
That was until he was half way done packing his stuff, and Rex called to tell him that Kix had gotten himself arrested for a bar brawl the night before, asking if he couldn't pick him up from the station.

Hardcase groaned as he heard that, because every time he didn't come with the others when they went out for drinks, something bad happened.  
Last time Fives said something wrong to Hevy, who then proceeded to lay him flat.  
But Kix lived around the same area as Hardcase, so he agreed to pick him up from the station and take him on the ride home.

„Well, well, well,“ Kix said once he saw who was picking him up.  
„How come that every time you guys end up doing some bullshit, it's me doing the clean up?“ Hardcase asked, walking ahead of Kix and through the front doors of the police station.  
„I don't know. Maybe because you are just such a nice person,“ Kix grinned, following Hardcase towards his car.  
„No, seriously,“ Kix said, letting himself fall into the passenger seat of Hardcase's car, „I have no idea how you always get roped into this stuff.“

„Should we drive back to the dorms, so that you can get your stuff?“ Hardcase asked, driving his car over the parking lot of the station, towards the road.  
„You really wanna make that much of a detour?“ Kix questioned, and Hardcase saw him look at him astonished from the corner of his eye.  
„I don't wanna be the reason you flunk your exam,“ Hardcase said, turning his car back toward their college.

Two hours later, Hardcase's car was filled to the brim with both of their stuff and they were back on the road again.  
The first hour they spend talking about the last night, Hardcase wanting to know why Kix had been arrested.  
Turns out Kix hadn't had a handle on his temper and a fight with another patron turned violent.  
„You really need to get a handle on your temper,“ Hardcase said, left arm propped out of the open drivers window.  
„I know, I know,“ Kix huffed, slouching in his seat, „I have a handle on it most of the time, but the moment I get too plastered it's just, boom, my brain stops working.“  
„Well, maybe you should stop drinking then,“ Hardcase said darkly.

„Shut up,“ Kix snorted, hitting his shoulder lightly, „Is not like I get drunk every night. Just on-“  
„Special occasions,“ Hardcase finished. He had heard that excuse from Kix more then once now.  
Kix looked at him and Hardcase looked back with a raised brow.  
„Okay,“ Kix said, holding up his hands in surrender, „I won't be drinking the next five times we go out.“  
Hardcase's brow went even higher.  
„Let me start small, alright,“ Kix huffed at his look, „Sides, you're not my mother.“

„Watch out!“  
Hardcase's eyes shot back to the road, hitting the breaks as he almost rear-ended the car in front of him. He went back to proper distance to the car in front of him, but a moment later a siren sounded from behind them.  
„Great,“ Kix groaned, looking over his shoulder, „Just pull over.“  
Hardcase did as Kix advised and waited for the police officer to come up, and give him a ticket for almost rear-ending another car, but in the end the officer just told him that his tail light was broken.  
„That was lucky,“ Kix chuckled, once the cruiser had droven off.

„Well?“ he asked as Hardcase didn't start driving again.  
„Just give me a moment,“ Hardcase said, rubbing at his eyes.  
It was already starting to get dark out and Hardcase had been driving all over the place for about six hours now. This could also be the reason why he almost rear-ended the other car, his concentration had started to dwindle around an hour ago.  
„Should I continue driving?“ Kix asked, and thankfull Hardcase nodded.

They continued on for another hour until Kix stopped at a motel.  
Hardcase must have nodded off and woke again as Kix stopped on a handicapped parking space.  
„You know, you are a dick,“ Hardcase commented, while nodding his head toward the sign pointing out the handicapped parking spot.  
„Oh, for gods sake, there's nobody else here,“ Kix groaned, pointing to the only other car in the parking lot.

Hardcase raised a brow and Kix rolled his eyes.  
„Fine.“ He put the car into reverse and parked in another parking space, next to the other car.  
„But now you have to get out too,“ Kix said, pointing a finger at him threatningly.  
Now it was Hardcase's turn to roll his eyes, but he followed Kix out of the car and toward the check-in of the motel.

The guy that was in front of them was a positive asshole.  
He was bitching up and down, and up and down, how the motel was a rat hole, how it wasn't reasonable for him to stay in those disgusting rooms, how the clerk wasn't working fast enough and to top it all off he also had a problem with the guys race.  
When he was finally done bitching and took the room the clerk offered, he shoved past Kix to get out of the door, and oggled Hardcase up before finally leaving.

„Piece of shit ain't he,“ Kix mumbled, more to himself than to the clerk, as he stepped up to the front-desk.  
„Tell me about it,“ the clerk snorted, „damn business types that stay for one night but won't stop bitching about the rooms.“  
„Well, we college types are just happy to get a cheap room for the night,“ Kix said, sweetly smiling at the clerk, and within a minute they had a cheap room.  
Cheap because it was a room with only one bed, but they didn't have a problem with it, they were best friends after all.

„God, is that guy a dick.“ Kix was still ranting once they got into their room.  
As they got their stuff for the night out of the car they overheard the business man ranting on his mobile about how him having to stay at the motel was unreasonable because of the 'other clientel'.  
„Don't care,“ Hardcase mumbled, laying down on the bed as soon as he made it into the room.  
„I bet you didn't even notice how that guy was oggling you,“ Kix said, putting his bag down on one of the armchairs.  
„No,“ Hardcase said tired, face half burried in the pillows.

He must've nodded off after that because as he woke up again it was pitch black outside, and the tv was running.  
Hardcase turned onto his side, looking over his shoulder and seeing Kix sitting in the second armchair and watching 'Moonlighting' with avid interest.  
„Why are you still up?“ Hardcase asked, voice slurring and tumbling with drowsiness.

„Don't know,“ Kix shrugged, „I've been thinking.“  
„Thinking about what?“ Hardcase asked, turning fully onto his side so they could talk better.  
„Jesse told me something,“ Kix said and Hardcase frowned.  
„Told you what?“  
„How you've been crushing on me for over a year now.“

Silence settled over them like a blanket.  
„I hate Jesse, you know,“ Hardcase said, flopping down onto his back.  
„Why?“ Kix chuckled, and Hardcase flinched once he felt the mattress dip next to him.  
„I think you should be thanking Jesse, otherwise you would've probably never told me.“

Hardcase gulped thickly, finally opening his eyes to stare up at Kix, who was grinning down at him.  
And before he could say anything to try and deny what Jesse had tattled, Kix leaned down to kiss him.  
Later on, Hardcase would insist that he had slung his arms around Kix solely because he was suprised, and not because he was finally getting what he'd been wanting for over a year now.  
„And you aren't complaining at all,“ Kix hummed, „guess Jesse's been right after all, hm?“

„Okay, fine,“ Hardcase grumbled, causing Kix to outright laugh now.

Then there was a sound by the window, Kix growled and grabbed a pillow from his side of the bed, to fling it at the window. There was a shadow quickly darting off, and a door slamming shut.  
„What-“  
„That damn asshole from the front desk!“ Kix cursed.  
„The clerk-“  
„No, that dickhead that was in there and giving the clerk a hard time,“ Kix hissed, „has been peeping in our window for over two hours now.“


	48. Things you said in our honeymoon...

After they got back from Vegas they managed to keep the recently married couple at home.  
Hardcase's mother had a meltdown, because they had gotten married in Vegas.  
She didn't care that her son was gay, or that he had gotten married even, she had just wanted to be there for the wedding.

„It was a spur of the moment thing,“ Hardcase had to say multible times, as well as, „It wasn't anything about you.“

For two months they could keep them at home, then they were suddenly gone again, only leaving a note, saying, _Off to the Bahamas. See you in two weeks :D_.  
„I hate him,“ Jesse growled, staring at the note left at his parents home, and at the one left at the Sullivan residency, „I hate him.“  
„Doesn't have to always be my brothers fault,“ Cody grumbled.  
He was also staring at the notes, and thinking to himself that he was talking a whole lot of bullshit.

Or so he thought.  
„I can't believe I let you talk me into this,“ Kix marveled, looking out at the sunset they were watching from the beach of Hope town, Bahamas.  
„I always wanted to go to the Bahamas,“ Hardcase grinned, arm laying around Kix' waist.

„Because of the mermaids,“ Kix chuckled, and Hardcase nodded, staring out at the ocean with a serious expression.  
„Because of the mermaids.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might come back to a couple of the last chapters and revise them, I've been feeling not at all good the last couple of days (Physically and mentally).


	49. Things you said when we were 17...

„Would you finally stop staring,“ Jesse groaned annoyed and Hardcase flinched at his sudden voice.  
„I'm not staring,“ Hardcase said, quickly diverting his gaze from Kix to stare at his textbook only to realize that he had no idea where they were.  
Jesse huffed an annoyed breath and grabbed his book, flipping a few pages before pointing at the middle of the page.  
„Thanks,“ Hardcase mumbled.

„You know, this would be hilarious, if you weren't my brother,“ Jesse mumbled quietly from the corner of his mouth, as their teacher looked in his direction.  
„Jesse, I wasn't staring!“ Hardcase hissed back, but felt how his face went hot  
„Mhm,“ Jesse hummed, though he didn't sound convinced at all.

„Jesse, Hardcase. If your conversation is so interesting, maybe you should let the rest of the class-“  
Miss Sekura started, but didn't get to finish as Hawk suddenly exclaimed, „Oh my god, there is a squirrel.“  
And as the whole class turned to look out the window, and at the squirrel that was climbing a tree, she thankfully forgot to chastise them.

„Dude, what were you guys talking about?“ Hevy asked. once class was dismissed, and there was the usuall commotion of students packing their stuff and heading into break.  
„Nothing,“ Hardcase said quickly, shooting Jesse a menacing glare in hope it would shut his brother up; It didn't.  
„He was staring at Kix again, wasn't he?“ Hevy asked and Jesse nodded. „Yep.“  
„Jesse!“ Hardcase hissed.  
„What?“ his brother snorted, „is not like it's a secret.“  
„Yeah,“ Hevy agreed, „I'm honestly surprised Kix hasn't figured it out yet.“

Hardcase rolled his eyes so hard he actually felt his head hurt.  
„Look,“ he hissed at the two, „I don't want any of you to tell him, okay.“  
„But why not?“ Denal asked, who had been listening to the conversation from where he stood behind Hardcase, who flinched and growled in frustration, rubbing his eyes.  
Just how many mouths did he need to keep shut?

„Because I don't even know if he's into guys,“ Hardcase hissed, throwing his copy of 'pigeons in the grass' into his backpack, before heading out into the hallway.  
Jesse, Hevy and Denal were close behind him however, as Miss Sekura closed up the class room for the break.

„Cody said he is,“ Jesse said casually, as they headed out onto the schoolyard.  
Hardcase groaned and rolled his eyes again, throwing his head back to look up at the sky, to ask god how he deserved this, and to wonder if eye rolling could cause a migraine.  
„But didn't he date that girl from parallel class two years ago?“ Denal asked, frowning.  
„And he also kissed that guy, who's on the baseball team with him. Havoc?“ Jesse raised a questioning brow at Hevy, who nodded in affirmation.

„So, he kissed a guy, big deal,“ Hardcase grumbled, „doesn't make him gay.“  
„No,“ Hevy agreed, „but making out with Echo would, I think, make him at least bi.“  
Hardcase's eyes widened. „Echo!?“ he gasped in shock, and Hevy nodded, though he didn't seem to take it that seriously.  
„Wasn't a big deal, 'case,“ he said, waving his hand dismissively, „they were both just fooling around. I'm more worried about Fives, than Kix.“  
Hardcase couldn't help but nodd in agreement, and so did Jesse and Denal.  
Hevy had been weary of Fives for quite some time now, as their fellow classmate was getting a bit too close to his boyfriend for his liking. 

„So?“ Denal suddenly asked and Hardcase frowned.  
„So, what?“ he asked, confused as to why Denal was playing the pronoun game now.  
„So, are you finally going to tell Kix how you feel about him?“  
„Fuck no!“ Hardcase said decidedly.  
„But why,“ Denal actually whined, and stopped to walk, which forced the other three to stop as well. 

„Because I don't know how he's going to react,“ Hardcase hissed into the huddle, in which they were now standing, „He's one of my best friends, if he doesn't feel the same way it could ruin everything.“  
„Hardcase, I don't think it's going to ruin anything,“ Jesse said and Hardcase pressed his hands onto his eyes.  
„And just how would you know?“  
„Because I told him that I am crazy about you,“ Kix' voice suddenly said and Hardcase felt as if the floor opened up and he fell into a very deep hole.  
It took quite some time before he could bring up the courage to lower his hands, and turn his head to look at Kix.

„Oh, Kix, you here,“ he said, trying and failing miserably to mask his wavering voice and the fact that his face must be looking like a tomato.  
Denal choked on his water as he burst out laughing, and Hevy followed suit.  
Only Jesse had an expression that was more akin to Hardcase's shock.

„How much of this did you hear?“ Hardcase asked, once Denal wasn't dripping water from his nose anymore and Hevy had stopped laughing.  
„The stuff about me making out with Echo, and you being scared that you'll ruin our friendship,“ Kix said casually. He was just standing there, arms crossed in front of himself, and looking to be rather amused at the whole thing; which Hardcase wasn't, at all.

„Look, if you guys want some privacy, we can leave,“ Jesse said, at least trying to be a good brother here and preventing Hevy and Denal from whitnessing all this.  
„What? Why!“ those two whined immediately.  
„I don't think that'd be necessarry,“ Kix said, „I mean, Jesse already knows that I'm crazy about you, and Hevy knows that I've had a crush on you ever since middle school.“  
„What?“ Hardcase and Denal said simultaniously, Hardcase shocked and Denal yelling.

Thankfully Hevy took care of that, as he grabbed Denal and put a hand over his mouth.  
„You've... what?!“ Hardcase stammered.  
„You really didn't knew,“ Kix asked, genuinely surprised, „I thought I was pretty obvious.“  
Everyone shook their heads.  
„Well,“ Kix cleared his throat awkwardly, „now you know. I actually wanted to ask you out two weeks ago, but then I got second thoughts and Resol said the same thing you did. What if you aren't on the same page and it ruins our friendship?“

Kix fell silent and that silence lasted for a few minutes, in which Hardcase needed to process everything Kix had said.  
Finally he said, „I'm going to kill Resol,“ before pulling Kix into a kiss.  
„Why do you want to kill my favorite brother?“ Kix asked, clearly confused and dazed by the sudden kiss.  
„Because he sabotaged us,“ Hardcase said, kissing Kix again.

Hevy opened his mouth to tell Hardcase that he had also sabotaged himself with the same thoughts, but he couldn't as he would rather scream about Denal licking his hand.  
„Ew! Denal. What are you, five?!“ he cursed, rubbing the saliva off on Denal's jacket.  
„No,“ Denal said, „but we are five minutes late for math and Krell will kill us.“

Upon that news everyone forgot what had just transpired, in favor of racing to class.  
„Thank fuck, we at least have the homework,“ Denal gasped once they stopped in front of the class' door, bracing for the entry.  
Hevy suddenly looked as if he was about to throw up. „Wait, we had homework?“ he said in a tiny, miserable voice.  
„It's math,“ Kix gasped, still catching his breath, „we always have homework in math!“  
Hevy looked about ready to drop unconscious, he had of course decided today was the perfect day to be forgetting his homework.

„Okay, then we all forgot it,“ Denal said, grabbing the door handle, „What's he gonna do, yell at all of us in front of the whole class?“  
Which was exactly what Mister Krell did, for ten minutes straight.  
He went on and on about how this class was a nightmare, about how they were 'stupid little nitwits' and ended it all by yelling that they'd be having garbage duty in the following week.  
Fives, who had a hard time suppressing his laughter, to the point of him nearly choking, almost send him into another rant, but thankfully only almost.

Hardcase was on top of the world the following weeks, the pink glasses phase was just amazing.  
Especially because Kix asked him out to prom, which had Hardcase reconsider his plan of showing up in a tracksuit.  
Now Kix made him, at least, match his tracksuit to the suit he was going to wear, and Hardcase's mother couldn't be happier.

Everything was going amazing, until two weeks after prom, as everything went to shit.  
Kix' father died on a fire run, and the whole Sullivan family was hit extremely hard.  
So hard, in fact, that their mother decided that the only thing that would give them a semblance of peace, was leaving town and move out of state with her kids.  
And Kix, being as practical as his mother, decided it would be best to cut the cord and leave it up to fate if they should meet again.

So after graduation they said their goodbyes and went their seperate ways.

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the school stuff is inspired by my time in abitur, so this is a jumbled mix of what I read about US schools and what I did in german gesamtschule.
> 
> And there is going to be a part two, no worries.


	50. Things you said when we were 70...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the second chapter to that little love story, with grandkids and all.  
> Enjoy.
> 
> 'Opa' is the german word for 'Grandpa'.

„Okay, Okay. Never have I ever jumped off the roof of a building, holding an umbrella, to see if I could fly,“ Waxer laughed stupidly and was the only one that needed to take a drink.  
„God, you guys are so boring,“ he slurred, his upper body swaying slightly, even though he was sitting.  
„Alright, I got one,“ Denal said, excitedly waving his hands about.  
They were all so drunk that they had essentially forgotten all the rules they had made up for this game of 'never have I ever'.

„Never have I ever licked a fire engine,“ he said, and Boil, Kef, Siege, Fives and Hardcase took a drink of their respective beverages.  
„Why did you lick a fire engine?“ Tup asked, staring at Fives in utter bewilderment.  
They all knew that licking a fire engine was something of a rite of passage for the firefighters, but Fives was working for the police force, so...

„Brick told me I had to do it,“ Fives grumbled, staring into his drink with a dark expression.  
„He got me all confused, okay. That guy is scary,“ he whined to defend himself, as Tup and Waxer started laughing.  
„Wait,“ Dogma suddenly exclaimed, and everybody stopped what they were doing, in favor of staring at the dispatcher, who then started to grin broadly. „Never have I ever fucked in a movie theater,“ he grinned and Fives groaned, taking another drink; as well as Tup and Jesse.

„Never have I ever fucked on the beach,“ Waxer yelled, having Fives and Jesse take another drink.  
„Oh, Oh. Never have I ever fucked on a fire engine,“ Denal said, cheering as Fives and Jesse took another drink.  
„Alright, stop!“ Fives cursed, his voice now being rather slurred, „What is this? National 'embarrass Fives day'?“  
Everybody laughed, even Fives himself, who giggled stupidly.

„How about that,“ Hardcase suddenly said.  
He had been rather quiet for half an hour now, and what he said next made Jesse feel rather stupid for not realizing sooner that his brother had hit his depressive drunk stage.  
„Never have I ever been in a relationship with my best friend, only for that friend to move away three months later, because his father died, breaking up with you and leaving you to wonder what might have been.“  
He gulped down the remainder of what was in his glass and stood from their table.

„Gentleman, I believe I am too fucking drunk, I'll be heading home,“ he slurred, fishing around his pockets for his phone, „Anybody else wanna come? I'll call a cab.“  
And before anybody could say something he turned on his heels and walked towards the doors of the bar, swaying.

„Whats up with him?“ Dogma asked, a deep frown on his face that he usually only got when someone was not doing what regulations called for.  
„It's that time of year again,“ Jesse sighed, before standing and heading after his brother, and leaving the others to explain what was going on.  
„When we were still in high school he got together with one of our classmates,“ Denal explained, „But it didn't last that long, because after his father died on a fire run his mother decided to move out of state, and that dickhead decided it would be better to break it off entirely and see if they'd walk into each other someday.“

„Wow,“ Dogma sighed slowly, „Sounds like the plot to a movie or something.“

And, thinking back on it, Hardcase had to agree that it kinda was like something out of 'How I met your mother', because half a year later he would actually meet Kix again. 

„What are you guys all laughing at?“ Hardcase asked, as he walked in on a group of his colleagues, all huddled up around their radio.  
„One of the new EMT's lost it with an officer,“ Boil chuckled, having a hard time suppressing his laughter, „His partner is broadcasting the whole thing to everyone of frequency 7.“  
„We-We didn't knew what to do,“ the voice of the apparently scared to death officer stammered, before there was a voice that could only be the EMT.  
_„Didn't knew what to do?“_ he snapped, _„You are 23 years old, you are a grown-fucking-up, you have to know.“_

„And I knew then and there that had to be your grandfather,“ Hardcase ended, grinning broadly at his grandchildren.  
„Wait- but, that doesn't make any sense,“ Zari said confused, scratching his head, „you haven't seen him in over fifteen years, how did you know it was his voice?“  
„Yeah,“ Chir'se agreed, crossing her arms in front of her chest and staring at her grandfather accusingly.

„The heart just knows,“ Hardcase said, pressing his hands to his heart and looking off into the distance, as if he was straight out of a love flick.  
„Opa,“ Chir'se whined, „Grandpa is telling bullshit again.“  
„Damn right he is telling bullshit,“ Kix chuckled, coming to stand behind Hardcase and laying his hands onto his shoulders.

„Could you watch the profanities,“ Mar'i sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.  
„Why?“ Kix asked, „I also cursed around your husband and it didn't hurt him.“  
Senson rolled his eyes. „Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to continue the circle of cursing constantly around children.“  
„Then where's the fucking fun in even having grandchildren?“ Kix asked, throwing his hands into the air.

„Could you just tell us how you guys met again,“ Chir'se whined, stomping her foot to her mothers chagrin.  
„Well,“ Kix said slowly, and told his account of the story.  
It wasn't as movie worthy as what Hardcase had told, as, according to him, he just called Hardcase up as he found out Cody worked in the same police department as Jesse.  
Which, according to Zari, still sounded like something out of a movie, but everything seemed to sound like something out of a movie considering the circumstances of their little love story.

„You know, if you had told me after high school, that your plan would work out and we'd end up spending the rest of our life's together,“ Hardcase said, once they had said goodbye to Senson and his little family.  
„You would have never believed me, I know,“ Kix said, with a soft smile on his lips.

In moments like this it became exceedingly apparent to both of them just how much they had aged.  
Kix, being a few months older and also having aged faster than Hardcase due to his time in the military and, in his words, 'all the bullshit around the hospital', had ended up with grey hair way sooner then Hardcase.  
Where Kix had started to turn grey around his mid 50's, which was why he still kept his hair as short as he did during his time in the military, Hardcase hadn't had a single grey hair until he turned 65.  
Kix' wrinkles were mostly due to worry, where Hardcase's where more due to laughing.

„I would have laughed at you had you told me I had grandkids,“ Kix said, as he joined Hardcase in the backyard of their small house. „After high school I didn't even thaught I'd be able to ever get back into a relationship again.“  
Hardcase nodded, sharing that sentiment.  
As he later found out, it wasn't just him that had been left devestated by the breakup, Kix hadn't taken it that well either.  
Hardcase guessed it was just easier back then, to think that Kix was the bad guy in the situation for breaking off all contact, he hadn't thought about the possibility, that Kix might've decided for a breakup to protect himself.

„And then there was Mischa,“ Hardcase said with a knowing smile and Kix nodded.  
From what Kix had told him over the years, that relationship had been all over the place as well, and Kix had never in a hundret years thought there could be kids coming from that relationship.  
As he got the call from the hospital telling him his ex was dead and left him with two kids, Kix had thought it would all end in desaster.  
Senson being married and having kids, and Mirek being drummer of a successful band and married to his childhood friend Sirca, had never been a possibillity in his mind back then.

Hardcase himself had only been in two relationships, between leaving high school and meeting Kix again, and both of them hadn't worked out.  
The year before they met again was the worst, as Siege and Kef had decided that Hardcase really needed a significant other, and, with the help of Denal, had tried to get him a boyfriend no matter what.

„Thank fuck Jesse called Cody, eh,“ Kix said, a broad smile on his face as they talked about the time back then.  
Because, in the end, Jesse had been the one playing Cupid, as he and Cody conspired to have them meet again once he realized who he was working with.  
But Chir'se and Zari didn't need to know that.


	51. Thigs you said as we danced in our socks...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, sorry I didn't post for the last three weeks (?). I switched jobs and it all turned really hectic, plus I was feeling a lot under the weather.  
> Hopefully I'll be able to get into this again, especially since we only have ten chapters left.

Someone was playing music, Ahsoka had no idea who exactly or where it was coming from but she kinda liked it.  
It was upbeat, a tune that had her bouncing her leg.  
And she wasn't the only one, Fives was bouncing on his feet in time with the music as well, while even Echo and Rex' shoulders wouldn't hold still.

"Don't you know how to dance?" She heard Hardcase ask, and turned her head to see him standing next to Kix, who was rummaging around his backpack.  
"Yeah," Kix said absentminded, leaning closer over his backpack and sticking his whole arm up to the shoulder into it to reach something at the bottom of it.

"Then you can dance with me," Hardcase decided, grinning broadly while Kix raised a sceptic eyebrow, not only at Hardcase but also at the package of bandages he had fished out of his backpack.  
"I can?"  
"Okay, let me rephrase this, you will dance with me," Hardcase said decidedly.

Ahsoka saw how Kix turned his head, so that he was facing away from Hardcase and in doing so he looked directly at her. Once he noticed Kix rolled his eyes, but his smile was broad and warm.  
"You're sounding awefully sure of yourself," Kix hummed, there being a warm chuckle to his voice as he turned back around to face Hardcase.  
"That's because I know you," Hardcase said, holding out his hand for Kix to take.

"And what do you know?" Kix asked, taking Hardcase's hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet.  
"That you can't say no to me," Hardcase grinned, putting his free hand onto Kix' back while Kix put his free hand onto Hardcase's hip.  
"What had you come to that conclusion?"  
"Well," Hardcase drawled, as Kix started the steps of a normally slow dance, but a little quicker to keep up with the music, "aren't you dancing with me now?"  
Kix couldn't help his grin from growing as he shrugged one of his shoulders. "Doesn't mean anything," he concluded.

"It kind of does," Fives said.  
As Ahsoka diverted her attention from Hardcase and Kix, she saw that Fives had taken Echo's hand and, while having his gaze not diverted from the already dancing pair, started to awkwardly mimic their movements.  
"Blah blah blah," Kix huffed, quickening his steps and performing some spins and turns that had Fives accidentally step on Echo's feet.

"Ouch," Echo grumbled, "would you watch out, you giant brute."  
"Yeah Fives, it's more like this," Denal said, grabbing Jesse's hand, spinning him twice and mimicing the steps Kix had performed, all the while Jesse looked confused as hell.

He recovered quickly though, and with occasional looks towards Kix he managed to keep up with Denal.  
"Okay, switch," Hardcase laughed loudly and in a flurry of movement they all switched partners.  
But Ahsoka hadn't counted on Kix being just as mischievous as Hardcase.  
The medic grabbed her hand and dragged her towards their little dance floor, while shooting Jesse a glance who then did the same thing with Rex.

"Where did you learn to dance like this?" Ahsoka asked between breathless gasps of laughter.  
"A gentleman never tells," Kix grinned, moving in circling steps with her, while they all also walked in a broad circle around each other.  
Before Ahsoka could repeat her question Hardcase called for them to switch again and Kix spun her off towards Fives, who laughed at the whole situation good-natured.  
Moments later Hardcase called for another switch that landed Ahsoka in Rex' arms.

"Ah, now I think I know what you're doing,“ Ahsoka laughed, once Denal started to whistle as they danced.  
Rex shot the other trooper a stern look, but Denal wouldn't wiped the grin off his face, especially as the music switched from the upbeat song into a way slower piece.  
"How convenient," Rex said, throwing a glance at Hardcase who threw him a wink and a broad grin from over Kix' shoulder.

"You know where Kix learned to dance like this?" Ahsoka asked, watching as Kix slowed his steps down into a slow pace, that still included a lot of spins.  
"I have no idea," Rex admitted, who couldn't help but roll his eyes once he heard Hardcase ask Kix, "If I'm gonna slip and fall, are you gonna catch me in your arms romantically?"  
"I'd prefer you not slip and fall," Kix countered, only to tip Hardcase back, like in those cheesy love movies, regardless.

"Wait, how do you do that without falling on your face?" Fives asked.  
He had tried to mimic Kix' move and in doing so almost dropped Echo on his ass.  
With a mild smile Kix let go of Hardcase to go over to Fives and help him get the tip right.  
And the following half hour turned into Kix having to try and teach the others various dance moves that he mastered, plus try and do so with some the others had seen on holonet.

"If you all drop and hurt yourself I ain't giving you time off," Rex warned as he and Ahsoka watched in fascination how Kix and Hardcase showed the others how to safely preform a lift.  
"I'm gonna have to ban them from watching dance movies," Rex groaned as Jesse dropped Denal, who thankfully landed on Echo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, not dancing in their socks, but still dancing, that counts in my book.


	52. Things you said with my mouth on your neck...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that titanic chapter that kinda run away from me?  
> Well, this is the vampire chapter that ran away from me.

How often did the guy you were interviewing for an investigative piece about the current gang war tearing up Wyn's streets, turn out to be a vampire?  
It sounded like the titel of something printed in 'the onion' instead of what Hardcase was going for, but he would really like to have an answer to that question, since he couldn't find any statistics on that, no matter how hard he tried.

Kix had honestly been pretty low priority on Hardcase's list concerning his investigation.  
He had spend way more time talking to the local police, especially the chief of police, Rex, and Fives, who was in charge of the special unit taking care of the gangs. 

Wolffe, heading the unit of FBI agents in the gang task force of Wyn, refused to talk to him, citing their ungoing investigation as reason.  
While Ahsoka at least relied the mayors statement, being that he would see this wave of violence being squashed during his term. But that might only be because elections were coming up.

In all of this Hardcase's focus hadn't been on Kix too much, if he was being honest.  
He had just wanted to talk to him, and get a glimps into how other sectors were dealing with the fallout this gang war was causing.  
Which was also why he accompanied Waxer and Boil on their fire runs for two weeks.

Kix was the person he chose to represent the medical field. Well, him and three other people.  
Kix, who was an emergency physician, riding in an ambulance, his brother Resol, who was a trauma surgeon in St. Francis hospital, Ferns, who was a EMT, and Baldria, who was a nurse in St. Francis.

It were another three weeks of following the four men around the hospital and along their ambulance rides, documenting the impact the gang war was having on their field of work.

Usually it was utterly not how Hardcase operated, he was a professional after all, and even though he was openly gay, he didn't make it a habit to flirt with every guy he found to be attractive.  
But Kix had some kind of a strange pull, that had Hardcase ask him out to dinner during the second week of Hardcase following them around.

„You know, that is usually totally not my style,“ Hardcase had said, as Kix invited him over to his place after.  
At first they managed to stay professional, Hardcase being able to ask some in depth questions he hadn't been able to ask during their time in the ambulance, but around 1 am Kix dropped all pretenses, and straight up pounced on him.

„This is actually-“ Hardcase started anew, but Kix didn't want to hear it.  
„Not your style,“ he said between kisses, „I know. And I couldn't care less.“  
What happened next was something so straight foreward and filthy, that Hardcase had been sure he'd only be seeing it in porn.  
He found himself thoroughly pinned under Kix.  
Usually Hardcase didn't like being pinned at all, and as pinned as he was now he would need Kix to let him up, otherwise he had no way of getting out of this situation himself.  
And strangely, he found himself still relaxed.

Kix was still tender, the only thing that had Hardcase slightly concerned was that Kix seemed to be a biter, who didn't quite have a handle on what he was doing with his mouth in the heat of the moment.  
At some point Hardcase felt not unlike a piece of meat, with the way Kix was practically gnawing on his neck.

„Jeez, what are you? A vampire or something?“ Hardcase asked breathlessly.  
Kix chuckled into the crook of his neck, quickening the movement of his hips, while not letting up from his neck.

In the morning Hardcase would realize with horror that the entire left side of his neck looked like he had had an intense make out session with a teenager.

„What is your fucking problem,“ Hardcase mumbled to himself as he inspected the marks.  
Hickeys, bruising and bite marks littered the left side of his neck, all the way down to his collarbone and shoulder.  
„What?“ Kix chuckled, as he came up behind him, arms snaking their way around Hardcase's hips.  
He rested his chin atop of Hardcase's shoulder and looked at his reflection in the mirror.  
„I like marking up my partners. That way everybody know's they're mine.“

Hardcase felt, and saw, himself turning red.  
„Oh, I am yours now?“ he found himself asking, raising an amused eyebrow at Kix, turning in his arms so that they were facing each other.  
„I would really like that,“ Kix said, mouth returning to Hardcase's blue, red and purple neck, who flinched because it both hurt and tickled.

It really hadn't been Hardcase's intention, getting involved with one of the men he was working with for his article.  
Though, at this point, with all the work he had been putting into the article, and the amount of information he would have to either put in or cut out, Hardcase had decided to scrap the article completely and write a book about this gang war instead.

Because at this point the whole thing had taken a turn into an entirely different territory.  
Hardcase noticed that way more people were admitted to the hospital with bite wounds from dogs, then in the entire three years prior.  
When he finally managed to get through to the gang division of the police and FBI, he managed to find out that none of the gangs resident to Wyn were known to use dogs in their intimidation tactics.

A few trips to the morgue revealed that those bite marks were also too big to belong to a dog, even a pitbull.  
It was pure coincidence that Hardcase noticed two weeks later that the numbers of fatal bite victims doubled around full moon.  
And some late night browsing through the history of Wyn and the hospital, to make sure there hadn't been similiar incidents throughout history, revealed something extremely interesting, and concerning. 

One, he found a staff picture from 1756 when the hospital had first been founded, that showed a man that looked like the splitting image of Kix.  
And two, a two year old article that accused the administration of St. Francis hospital of selling blood on the black market.  
The author of the article, one Dalanie Collie, specifically mentioned a emergency physician named Kix Sullivan and, even stranger, turned up dead three weeks after the article'd been published.

„That's my great grandfather,“ Kix explained, upon Hardcase asking him about the photo over lunch one evening.  
„No, it can't be,“ Hardcase disagreed, „you said your family only came to the states, from germany, during the civil war.“  
„My father's family,“ Kix said, „my mother's family is native to Texas.“  
„Uhu,“ Hardcase nodded, not quite sold on what Kix was telling him.

But what was he supposed to do instead? Ask his boyfriend up front if he was a mystical creature?  
Everything that was recorded about vampires throughout history spoke about how they were reanimated corpses, that needed no other nourishment then blood.  
And Kix was eating. Well, only when they were eating together. Other then that Hardcase never saw Kix eat anything.  
So, maybe he was just eating with him to make sure he didn't notice anything off, and those late nights at the hospital would make for the perfect pretense to get his true blood.

Well, that and whenever he got into a especially kinky mood in bed.  
On more then one occasion Hardcase had noticed how Kix' bites broke his skin, leaving him bleeding.  
It wasn't like those vampire movies, where there were two puncture wounds, they just looked like normal bite marks, maybe a bit more sharp around where they broke his skin.

„You know, if you were a vampire,“ Hardcase said one night in bed, Kix was again holding him down, having him utterly immobilized and his faced buried against his neck, „I wouldn't even care.“  
Kix came back up, and for a moment Hardcase thought Kix' eyes were an unnatural shade of grey, almost white.  
„You really need to stop with all this strange research you're doing,“ Kix huffed. There was still a glint to his eyes, but it was mischivous instead of threatning. „What's it even got to do with the gang wars.“  
And that was all that was said for the night.

The following morning Hardcase was up before Kix, for once, and he couldn't help himself.  
He scooted up close to his boyfriend and reached up to his mouth tentively.  
Kix flinched slightly in his sleep, Hardcase stilled and waited for him to settle back down again.  
Taking a deep breath Hardcase gathered all the courage he had, reached out for Kix' mouth and pushed his upper lip back to have a look at his teeth.  
They looked just like his own, he was really going off the deep end.

„Look, I really would like for you to stay behind,“ Kix said a felt hundreth time, „With everything that's been happening this month... I can't guarantee for your safety.“  
„I'm an investigative journalist,“ Hardcase countered, „I can handle myself.“

But he understood why Kix was a bit more reserved now, about him riding along in the ambulance.  
During the month of November the gang war had ramped up to rediculous levels.  
People were being shot in the streets at random, and not even just people associated with the local gangs but also civilians.  
There had been a shooting that killed five children coming out of a private school uptown.  
A woman was shot in the parking lot of a walmart, leaving her baby crying in it's stroller while his mother bled to death. And a man was shoved off a building, during his shift on a construction side.

There had been three buildings targeted by bumb threats, and one which actually blew up, killing 50 people in the process.  
Around that time mayor Skywalker had put the city into crisis mode, and the president was on the brink of calling in the national guard.

Kix huffed a deep breath, he had been against Hardcase riding along in the ambulance since the end of October, but Hardcase had refused to relent.

So they set out, Hardcase, Kix, and Ferns as their driver.  
The first three calls they responded to were all fine and dandy, in the way Kix defined it at least.  
A heart attack, a kid that fell down the a flight of stairs and broke his leg, and a car crash.  
The fourth, however, escalated quickly.

It were three members of the notorious 'grey wolfs' that had been shot.  
One of them was dead on arrival, while the other two were bleeding profusely and sprouting symptoms of poisoning of all things, if Hardcase was seeing that right.  
Both their lips were a dark shade of blue, their faces pale and slick with sweat, strangest of all they were salivating like two dogs being presented with a slap of meat.

„This should do it,“ he heard Kix say, while he instructed Ferns to inject both men with something that looked strangely yellowy in the syringe he handed the EMT.

„How long 'till the police get here?“ Kix asked a few moments later, head raised as if he was hearing something.  
Five more minutes, and just as a police cruiser drove up to the scene Hardcase thought he could hear something too.  
It sounded like people running up and down the street, murmuring of their voices getting louder.

„Thank fuck, you're finally here,“ Ferns huffed, as he motioned for the two officers to come over to them. Hardcase knew them, he had interviewed them right at the beginning of his investigation, officers Jesse and Tup.  
„Who attacked them?“ Jesse asked, as he croached down beside them.  
„They are all up and down the street,“ Ferns said, pointing up and down the long one way street in between two abandoned factory buildings they were currently all standing in.  
„We already radioed for backup,“ Jesse said, before turning his attention to Kix, „can those two be moved.“

Kix looked the two gang members up an down, one of them Hardcase had recognized as Slick, who was his contact within the grey wolfs.  
Both men were still a bit too pale, but their lips weren't as blue and their eyes not as glassy.  
If Hardcase was being honest, Slick's eyes even looked like they were sparkling yellow in the street light.  
But before he could take a closer look there was the sound of shots being fired.

One of the bullets tore through the throat of Slick's fellow gang member, spraying Ferns and Kix with blood before the man slumped foreward.  
There were more shots fired from the building to their right, Jesse and Tup returning fire, while they all scrambled for cover.  
Ferns pulled Hardcase after himself to croach behind the ambulance, Jesse and Tup behind their police cruiser and Slick behind a big, black van.  
It took them exactly twenty seconds to realize that the people ambushing them were doing so from both sides, as a bullet lodged itself in Hardcase's shoulder and had him crashing back against the ambulance.

If it was the shock of being shot, or the bloodloss, Hardcase couldn't really tell, but Kix' eyes were this unnatural light grey color again, and his teeth were strangely shark-like, though that might only be because Hardcase's vision was swimming in and out of focus.  
„You cover him,“ he heard Kix hiss, „I'll take care of them.“  
Hardcase could only watch helplessly as Kix dashed past their ambulance and straight into a hail of bullets.  
He was pretty sure he saw one of them tearing through his leg, before Ferns moved into his field of vision and pushed him down onto his back to tend to his shoulder.

Hardcase felt how he was swimming in and out of awareness, not sure of what was reality and what was a hallucination.  
As he turned his head, he could look under the ambulance and at the street beyond.  
There were three pairs of feet roaming about, one of them clad in EMT gear.  
Hardcase watched how Kix creeped up on the other two pairs of feet, then there was a screech Hardcase was sure was neither human, nor animal, before the people belonging to the two pairs of feet went down under Kix.  
Kix tore into the men first, teeth sinking into his neck and opening it to a spray of blood, before he turned his attention to the woman. 

_I must be halucinating_ , Hardcase thought, _the bloodloss must be getting to me_.  
And moments later Ferns slapped his cheek, urging him to stay with him and telling him that he was loosing way too much blood.  
Hardcase managed to hold on for as long as it took for sirens to be heard.

„How's he doing?“ Kix asked, as he hurried back to them.  
And now Hardcase was pretty sure he wasn't hallucinating the blood covering the entire lower part of Kix' face, and the front of his EMT jacket.  
„Not that good,“ Ferns admitted, he had croached down beside Hardcase, applying pressure to his shoulder, still trying to stop the profuse bleeding, „They've hit his brachial artery, and I can't get it pinched off.“

Hardcase saw how Ferns looked up at Kix, who's eyes were now definately as white as the full moon shining above them.  
Some furry shape moved behind Kix, two yellow eyes shining like stars of the night sky, but Kix waved the creature off with his hand.  
„Take care of the rest of them,“ he told the furry shape, „Rex will send someone for the clean up.“  
The shape made a strange barking sound and ran off towards where Kix had attacked the men and the woman.

„Hardcase,“ Hardcase stared back at Kix, who's face was enlongating strangely and who's voice sounded far away and distorted, „I think you know what I'll have to do.“  
And Hardcase did. Throught the bloodloss and his brain screaming at him that he was dying, everything had fallen into place, and he knew exactly what Kix was about to do.  
He felt himself nodd, having longe since lost any feeling in his body and the ability to form words.  
Kix nodded as well, and next thing Hardcase knew Kix' head surged foreward and a sharp pain, that managed to pierce the haze that had enveloped his senses, exploded at his neck.

Hardcase had just enough strength left to lift the hand of the shoulder that wasn't fucked, and grasp a hold of Kix' EMT jacket.  
There was a strange feeling, as if he was floating, before darkness took him under.

Next thing he felt was something dripping down onto his lips, and the purest taste imaginable exploding in his mouth.  
„Take it,“ a voice said, that Hardcase immediately recognized it to be Kix', „Come on now, take it.“  
Hardcase's eyes snapped open, he looked up at Kix and Ferns, who were looming over him, saw that Kix had rolled back the sleeve of his EMT jacket and knew immediately what he was supposed to do.

With a strength he didn't think he'd possess he reached up for Kix arm and pressed it down against his mouth.  
He drank in big, long gulps, the blood running down his throat all warm and delicious.  
„That's it,“ Kix cooed, moving to stroke a hand down Hardcase back, „take as much as you need.“  
Hardcase rolled himself onto his side, making out the side of the stretcher in the back of the ambulance from the corner of his eye, and hearing strange muffled sounds, but forgot all about that just as fast as he had realized where he was, Kix' blood was just way too good.  
He didn't knew how long it took, but at one point his body told him that he'd had enough, his tightly clenched jaws finally releasing.

„Good,“ Kix cooed, helping Hardcase to push himself into a sitting position, „you did good. But you still need more.“  
Hardcase shook his head, he felt so full, how could Kix think he still needed more.  
„Don't be shy,“ Kix hummed, stroking a hand down Hardcase's cheek, his eyes were still brightly white, „I know my fledglings.“

His gaze turned toward something at the back of the ambulance, Hardcase followed his gaze and realized what was making the muffled sounds.  
It was one of the people that had ambushed them, the woman Kix had jumped earlier.  
She knealed in the back door of the ambulance, blood pouring from a gash on her forehead, and being held immobile by one of the big furry creatures, that Hardcase could only bearly make out earlier.

Now Hardcase was able to make out the giant creature.  
It was almost as tall as the ambulance they were sitting in, covered in jet-black furr, with piercing yellow eyes and a head that looked like a giant version of a wolf's head.  
It stood on it's hind legs, one giant, clawed hand -or paw- grabbing the womans shoulder, having pierced skin as it had lodged it's claws in her.

„Go on,“ Kix said gently, urging him foreward as he noticed Hardcase leaning towards the woman, the smell of her blood strong in the air, „you can take her. She's a present.“  
„She's just a hunter,“ Kix purred once Hardcase looked back at him distraught, „besides, she'll bleed to death anyways.“

Kix looked up at the giant furry monster, _a werewolf_ , his brain supplied, for some reason recognizing the smell of the wolf now.  
„You can leave her with us, Slick, I'll take care of it.“  
The werewolf, Slick apparently, nodded it's giant head and pushed the woman foreward roughly before stomping off.  
The woman hit the ground of the ambulance and didn't manage to get back up again.  
„You'll... pay for this,“ she managed to get out between gasping breaths, but Hardcase hardly heard her, the smell of her blood had gotten overwhelmingly strong.

„You may try,“ Kix said loftily, watching calmly as Hardcase edged closer to the woman.  
„It is okay,“ he hummed, croaching down next to Hardcase, who was hesitating to get closer to the woman, „You know you need it, Hardcase. My blood only turned you. You need fresh human blood.“

And Hardcase's body knew. His jaw had dropped open, and he noticed embarrassed that he was practically drooling down onto the woman.  
She was young, had to be barely seventeen years old, with blonde, curly hair going down to her shoulder blades. Too young, a small part of his brain said, but the newly formed parts of his brain, the ones that were screaming for human blood, were louder.

„Where?“ he asked Kix, who shook his head, smiling down at him with open amusement.  
„Where ever you'd like,“ he said, swiping his hand out in the direction of the woman, as if to indicate Hardcase a feast.

Hardcase felt his body shoot foreward, and come into crashing contact with the woman.  
His hands clamored for purchase on her jacket, as he turned her onto her back. She screamed as the movement jostled her injured shoulder, but Hardcase was beyond caring.  
„Please,“ she whimpered, eyes shining huge and fearfull as Hardcase descended upon her, with a mouth full of shark-like teeth, „please, don't do this.“  
But all her pleading was in vain.

Hardcase choose the jugular, just like Kix had done with him all those times.  
He felt the woman thrashing underneath him, screaming in horror as he dug his teeth into her neck, but Hardcase didn't care.  
His body was in feeding mode, and everyone knew, a fledgling yearning for blood was a force that was almost impossible to stop.

The cleanup of the botched ambush took them the better part of the night, that and responding to a few more ambushes and attacks.  
„I think you will understand why we can not allow you to write your book,“ Fives said.  
He had joined them once Hardcase had finished feeding on the young hunter. Or maybe that was only when Hardcase was attentive enough to notice him.  
He had to admit that the werewolfs kinda all looked the same to him, they all smelled differently, sure, but they all looked the same.

All of the wolfs among them had turned back into their human forms, before getting back to the police station.  
Kix had explained that they saw to their werewolf and vampire population staying pure of blood, meaning that both of them had a lot more controle over their respective abilities, since it had come as quite the shock to Hardcase once Fives turned back to his human form, as if it was nothing special at all.

Hardcase nodded his understanding.  
At some point, a few weeks ago, he had even been asking himself if it still made sense for him to finish his book, seeing how his research had run into an utterly ludicrous direction.  
Of course he now knew that he had been right, but who would ever believe him.

„How many of your are there?“ Hardcase found himself asking, looking from Fives to Kix.  
The way emergency medical personal, fire department and police had coordinated the clean up made it pretty clear that this weren't just a few vampires and werewolfs running around Wyn.  
„About 70% of the population in this city, according to our last census,“ Kix said calmly.  
Hardcase's eyes widened. „Seventy?!“ he gasped shocked.  
Fives nodded. „Sounds about right.“

„Wyn is one of ten cities in texas that are 'creature territory',“ Kix explained, „Though we, Salberg and Ponotrie are the ones with the highest population of vampires and werewolfs within a three states radius“  
Hardcase gauged at him for quite some time.  
„Are you shitting me?“ he finally found himself asking, and as both of the men in front of him shook their heads Hardcase had to take a seat.  
„And what about those 'hunters'?“ he asked, doing quotation marks with his hands.

Fives huffed a big breath, rolling his eyes.  
„They didn't accept the signing of the 'Farmsor treaty' in 1870,“ Fives said and that was about the time Hardcase's brain short circuited.  
„The signing of the what?“

Fives sighed, exchanged a glance with Kix, and then launched himself into a history lesson.  
About how the US had also been a refuge for creatures of all different kinds.  
Such a sizable chunk of the population, in fact, that the continental congress of 1779 decided to write up a secret agreement that would be giving those creatures rights and protection.

Apparently they had a government of their own, the creature congress - _how imaginative_ , Hardcase thought- that was making sure they weren't found out, and that exerted their own kind of justice.  
But around 1863, straight dab in the middle of the US civil war, a fraction around Elias Gillcrest started attacking the creatures, as most of them had decided to side with the Union.  
It took even longer then for the civil war to end, for the fighting between Gillcrest's hunters and the creatures to come to an end; only in 1870 did the fighting stop and then US president Ulysses Grant had both factions sign a peace treaty.

Hardcase was holding his head at this point, feeling as if his vision was spinning and as if he wasn't breathing in enough air.  
This was also the moment he realized that he hadn't been breathing for quite some time now.

„Those hunters from today are part of the Fansant familie,“ Fives continued his story, „They're descendents of Jared Fansant, one of Gillcrest's generals, who didn't accept the peace of 1870.“  
But since the creatures were still under the protection of the US government, the hunters were only able to use guerilla tactics against them.  
„So this gang war...“ Hardcase started, trailing off as Kix nodded.  
„It has actually been a faction of those hunters attacking creatures that were just living a peacefull life.“  
„And with what happened this month,“ Fives snorted, „It's only a matter of time before the mayor calls in the big guns.“

That about wrapped it for the night.  
Kix and Fives agreed that they could postpone registering Hardcase as a fledgling and new vampire in the morning, and so they were allowed on their merry way.  
On their way back out of the station they ran into Slick, who was helping Tup typing up a report.  
He smiled at Hardcase reassuringly, and chuckled that the first few weeks of being a new vampire or werewolf were kinda freaky.

They didn't talk on their way back to Kix' place, which Hardcase had moved into two months ago.  
„I can't believe you managed to keep all this from the general public,“ Hardcase exclaimed once he made it past the front door.  
„Oh please,“ Kix snorted, „the people will believe whatever, when you repeat it enough. Most of them still think there was no second shooter on the grassy knoll.“

But Hardcase, honestly, wasn't up for jokes.  
„You knew I had my suspicions,“ he growled, „All I didn't do was straight up ask you if you were a vampire, and you still didn't trust me.“  
„It's not that I don't trust you personally,“ Kix said with a sigh.  
He was rummaging around the fridge, that turned out to be deeper then Hardcase had thought.  
It seemed to have a fake back wall, behind which Kix had stored about ten blood bags.

„So that article I found, by Dalanie Collie,“ Hardcase started.  
„I didn't kill her,“ Kix growled, his eyes sparking white and Hardcase took a step back. Upon seeing that Kix' eyes returned to their normal brown color and his posture relaxed considerably.  
„Her car crash was a car crash,“ he said calmly, handing him a glass full of blood.  
„But you are selling the blood on the black market,“ Hardcase observed, sipping the ice cold blood.  
Kix shook his head. „It's legal,“ he said, „Since 1901 40% of the blood in the blood banks is reserved for the vampire population. Except if the nation is at war.“

„Huh,“ Hardcase said, staring down at the blood inside the glass he was still holding, „the red cross doesn't mention that in their annual reports.“  
Kix chuckled, „Is not like the world's supposed to know about us.“  
Hardcase nodded, taking another sip of the blood before he realized that Kix wasn't drinking anything.

„What about you?“ he asked, pointing at Kix with his half empty glass of blood.  
„I need something else,“ Kix said, which made Hardcase frown.  
„Don't vampires need blood?“ he asked confused.  
„Because we can't produce our own,“ Kix agreed, nodding, „But it's not fuel in the same sense as food is fuel for humans. Different kinds of vampires need different kinds of fuel.“  
„And what... do you need?“ Hardcase asked, gulping thickly as Kix stalked closer to him, eyes gleaming with a sharp predatory intent.

„There's a reason I'm getting cranky when we don't have sex that often,“ he said darkly, his head leaned foreward so far that he could easily rest it on Hardcase's shoulder.  
„Oh,“ Hardcase said, before what Kix said really sank in. „OH,“ he gasped surprised, as Kix took a hold of his hips and pushed him back against the kitchen counter.  
„I just thought you were a sex addict,“ he chuckled, as Kix' nose traveling up and down his throat tickled his skin.  
Kix burst out laughing. „Never heard that one before.“

He got more and more impatient while he waited for Hardcase to finally finish up his glass of blood, but insisted that Hardcase finish it before they moved things into the bedroom.  
If Hardcase had thought that Kix was an animal in bed before, now he was positive that he was a force of nature.  
He felt utterly drained once they were finished, while Kix, who got up to get him some more blood, looked fine as rain.

„It's because I'm feeding off of the sexual energy of my partners,“ Kix explained, once he got back and handed him a old starbucks cup filled with blood, straw and all.  
And Hardcase realized only then that Kix must've been feeding off of him for quite some time now.  
Every time after they had sex he had felt utterly drained, and fell asleep almost instantly; sometimes he would even feel hungover in the morning.  
But he hadn't thought anything of it. He had such little sexual experiance before he met Kix, that he had just assumed his fatigue to be a normal occurance.

„For how long have you been feeding on me?“ Hardcase asked, his brows pulled together tightly.  
Kix wiped a hand down his face. „Since the first day,“ he sighed, „you were just so,“ he pointed at Hardcase, then shrugged his shoulders, „I couldn't quite help myself.“

„And you're really no sex addict?“ Hardcase asked, holding his starbucks cup away from Kix, who threw a pillow at his head.  
„Hey, hey, watch it,“ he hissed, frowning confused at the hiss to his voice.  
Kix waved a hand dismissively. „Normal fledgling behavior,“ he hummed, „resource guarding. Haven't needed to deal with that since,“ he puffed out a big breath, trying to remember, „1864, I think.“  
There was a bout of silence between them, Hardcase gulping down his blood, before he wiped his mouth and asked, „Who was it.“

„Jesse,“ Kix said, „Tup is a few years younger, but he isn't mine.“  
„Yours?“ Hardcase asked, raising a brow.  
Kix ran a hand down the back of his head. „It's kind of like a parent-child-relationship for most. Sire and fledgling.“  
Hardcase nodded, leaning down to take another sip of his blood.  
„And who was yours?“

He saw Kix lean back against the pillows and stare up at the ceiling from the corner of his eyes.  
„You know,“ he sighed, „all the things I remember, but this one I do not.“  
He furrowed his brows, deeply concentrated. „Only thing I remember is that it happened in a temple that was dedicated to the god asclepius.“

Hardcase froze, the starbucks cup half way to his mouth.  
He remembered that god, having taken a course on ancient gods in college, and if he remembered correctly asclepius first appeared in the first century BC.  
„Just how old are you,“ he asked astonished.

„You know Ceasar?“ Kix asked, chuckling.  
„You mean Gaius Julius Caesar,“ Hardcase asked, eyes going huge.  
„That one,“ Kix nodded, „I was the one to deliver him.“  
Hardcase nodded himself, slurping down some more blood while trying to take in that information.  
How often did the guy that you're dating turn out to be over two thousand years old?  
„Was he a caesarean section?“ he finally asked after three more gulps of blood.  
„No,“ Kix chuckled, „was a long delivery and his mother cursed him throughout all of it, but he was no c-section.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allright, the creatures kinda live amongst humans like the alians from MIB, with the creatur congress acting like their political body.
> 
> Vampires get light grey eyes, almost white, when they are either low on blood, in a hightened emotional state or when attacking. They have a row of shark-like teeth that they can drop over their human ones.  
> The werewolfs in their wolf forms are huge, about 2,5 meters tall, all have jetblack furr and yellow eyes.  
> As purebloods they also have way more controle over their change, being able to change into wolf and back at will. Their eyecolor and teeth length, like the vampires, can change when emotionaly distraught or in high stress situations.
> 
> Vampires in this verse also only drink blood because they can't produce their own, and fledglings need it as they've been freshly turned. But other then that they mostly feed off of energy. Kix feeding off of sexual energy, for example, while Resol feeds off of emotional energy.
> 
> There are also other creatures then just vampires and werewolfs, witches and sirens, for example. It's just so happens that Wyn has a very high population of vampires and werewolfs. Tup and Hevy, for example, are both witches.
> 
> Kix was born between 460 and 370 BC, since he studied unter hippocrates.
> 
> All of the history about the US creature congress and it's history with the hunters I just made up within the past few hours, but I couldn't help thinking about supernatural when doing so.  
> That young hunter Hardcase feeds off of was inspired by Jo Harvelle. (I love you Jo♥)  
> The US governement is only working with the creatures, by the way, because they know that they can use the creatures as weapons. Many of them work for the military.
> 
> Maybe I'll be writing future chapters in fics in this universe. For future reference I'll be calling it creature!verse.


	53. Things you said in the dark...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter has been really hard on me, as I had four ideas for it.   
> Maybe I'll still post the others, especially since I already wrote parts of two of them.
> 
> This one's a little what if: What if Hardcase had already been with Kix, as Kix got the twins dumped on him.

Finally over the threshold of Kix' house and Hardcase immediately let his backpack fall to the ground. He leaned back against the closed door and just breathed for a second.  
The shift had been pretty bad, quite from what they'd usually consider a catastrophe, but still not a calm day by far.

Hardcase had already showered at the fire house, but he still had the feeling as if he was smelling of smoke and soot. Or maybe he was just imagening it, like Kix always said.  
First he walked over into the kitchen and filled the biggest glass he could find with water. He drank it empty in three big gulps, then leaned back against the counter.  
But standing still just made his hands itch. They had been covered all over in soot, and if he looked closely Hardcase was sure he could still see remnants of the soot.  
He had just turned toward the sink to wash his hands again, as his brain seemingly caught up with the rest of him. 

Kix and him were both on a ten hour shift, offset by three hours, and neither of them could watch the children, which was why they had asked Hevy to watch them. There was just one problem with that, Hardcase couldn't hear anything, the house was eerily quiet.  
“Hevy?” Hardcase called loudly, panik already rising up his throat.  
A voice answered, “In here.” A voice that wasn't Hevy's, but Kix'.

Hardcase followed Kix' voice and finally found him in the nursery.  
The nursery was pitch black, apparently Hevy had just put Senson and Mirek down for their afternoon nap before Kix had arrived.

Kix was still in his EMT uniform, back facing Hardcase while he was looking down into the crib.   
Hardcase smiled to himself and quietly walked over to stand next to his boyfriend. His smile only grew as he looked down into the crib to watched the twins sleep.  
Mirek had his arm slung around his octopus plushy, while Senson had a tight grip on his twin's leg, as Mirek had essentially thrust it into Senson's stomach.

“Aren't they precious,” Kix said quietly, and Hardcase could see Kix' lips being turned upwards into a small smile.  
Until Mirek suddenly turned onto his side, mumbling in his sleep, and Kix grabbed his wrist.  
“Damn, he's waking up!” and just like that Hardcase found himself sitting on the floor.

It took him a moment to realize what had just happened. To feel the wood of the crib's frame dig into his back, feel the fuzziness of the carpet under his hands, and to turn his head and gape at Kix.  
“Why are we on the floor?” Hardcase asked, only for Kix to hiss at him, “Shh. They don't know that I am here.”  
Hardcase felt his mouth standing open for a moment, before he managed to find his voice.  
“Is it because you've been on night shifts so much recently?” he asked.

“They pay better,” Kix said clipped, looking over his shoulder as if making sure that Mirek and Senson weren't listening in on them. Which was a valid concern about two one year olds (not).

Hardcase took a deep breath. He had already noticed that Kix was struggling with the situation.   
After all, how often were you called in the middle of the night, by a hospital telling you that your ex girlfriend had been in a pile up, that she had been pregnant, and that you were, apparently, the father of her newborn twins. And how often did that ex girlfriend die, leaving you behind to care for the children. Not that often, Hardcase reckoned.  
Cherry on top of that crap cake was that Kix didn't quite manage to cut back on his work hours, as their station was extremely understaffed.

“What did Frangu say?” Hardcase asked, as he snaked his hand into Kix'.  
Kix huffed a breath. “He's understanding of my situation, but as long as we haven't broken that new EMT in he can't cut back on anybody's hours.”  
Hardcase nodded his understanding. Kix' boss was already bending over backwards to accommodate Kix being a father now, and them being a EMT short wasn't helping matters.  
“Maybe we could ask Echo to watch the kids,” Hardcase shrugged, “he always needs some money.”  
Kix shook his head. “He's right in the middle of his thesis. Plus, he isn't that big on kids.”

Both of them didn't speak for quite some time.   
Senson and Mirek were still too young for daycare, and they just couldn't affort a nannie or au pair.  
The fact that Mirek had been born blind also wasn't helping matters.

“What are you even doing here?” Hardcase asked, finally breaking the silence.  
“I was only supposed to have the shift 'til 3pm,” Kix said, “Frangu mixed up my shift with Spina's.”  
“Aha,” Hardcase nodded. Then there was silence again, in which Hardcase lifted their joined hands so that he could press a kiss to the back of Kix' hand.   
“We'll figure it out,” he said quietly, “until then we'll just have to ask Hevy to watch them.”  
“We can't do that forever.”  
But Hardcase wasn't that sure about it. “I don't know,” he chuckled, “He loves them, they adore him, and the only thing he asks in return is free access to our fridge.”

Kix couldn't quite stiffle his laughter at that, and that also brought a smile to Hardcase's face.   
“Why do you keep scratching your hand?” Kix suddenly asked, taking a hold of Hardcase's other hand, who only noticed then that he had been rubbing it on the rug.   
“I don't know,” Hardcase sighed, “I keep thinking there's soot on it.”  
Kix threw him a knowing look. “You really need time off.”  
“Yeah,” Hardcase agreed, then there was a small noise coming from above them. 

“Well, what do we have here?” Hardcase smiled to himself, climbing to his feet.  
Mirek was sitting up, the octopus still clasped in his hands, and staring in the direction where he could here their voices.   
Carefully, to not wake Senson as well, Hardcase scooped the toddler up. But he didn't take him into his arms, but instead handed the child right over to Kix, who looked quite surprised.   
“Why don't you read him a story and I make us something to eat?” Hardcase said, already walking out of the nursery before Kix could even object.

It took him about ten minutes to get some sandwiches ready, and as he walked back into the nursery the lights were turned on and Kix was laying on the ground, Mirek and Senson climbing all over him.   
“Gulliver's travels?” Hardcase asked amused.  
“No,” Kix gasped, as Mirek threw himself down onto his fathers stomach, “the snow queen. They didn't like it.”  
“I can tell,” Hardcase grinned.

They ate their sandwiches while watching a old 'winnie the pooh' movie on Hardcase's phone, Senson playing around with some blocks, and Mirek sitting on Kix' lap.  
“Resol called today,” Kix said after quite some time, “He talked to some of his colleagues at the hospital, and managed to hook us up with a specialist for blind children. Appointment's in two weeks.”  
“Alright,” Hardcase nodded, “I'll let Cody know.”  
He frowned as he saw Kix biting around on his bottom lip. “What's bothering you?”

“Nothing,” Kix said, chuckling as he looked over to him, “I just realized that Hevy really is a good babysitter.”   
He grabbed for something next to him, and as he handed it over Hardcase could see that it was a drawing.  
It was drawn pretty roughly, but Hardcase could recognize two small figures standing next to another, bigger one; one that was wearing, what looked like, a policeman's hat.  
Hardcase groaned. “As long as Senson doesn't wanna become a policeman, I am fine with Hevy being our designated babysitter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea why I made Hevy their designated babysitter, he just strikes me as someone that's good with children.


	54. Things you always meant to say but never got the chance...

Hardcase was gone, and not just 'injured and comatouse'-gone but literally dead-gone.  
There wasn't even anything left of him, he got blown to bits in outer space and there was nothing left of him that Kix could burry or mourn. At least that's what he thought at first, until he found a pile of flimsy paper all the way down in his backpack.  
The first couple of hours after finding them he couldn't even look at them. In fact, Kix just stuffed them back all the way down and sat there, staring dead ahead.

Did he ever tell Hardcase just how warm his broad smile made him feel?  
Did he ever tell him that, sometimes, he was the only thing that managed to keep him sane?  
He probably knew, Kix thought, after all, Hardcase wasn't stupid. Despite how often Kix had refered to him as a 'di'kut' Hardcase was far from being a literal idiot.  
Had he told him enough though? Sometimes it would get to him when the others called him a di'kut too much, had it been the same with Kix?

No, Kix shook his head, Hardcase must've known that he wasn't serious most of the time.  
_“At least I am your di'kut,”_ Hardcase had said, more then once, upon Kix calling him a idiot. 

But how often did he tell Hardcase that he loved him?  
He wasn't as emotionally impaired as Dogma, but he still wasn't as open about his feeling as Hardcase himself, and Kix knew that.  
How often did he push Hardcase away, when the other was being way too clingy for his liking? How often did he tell him that they needed to keep their realtionship quiet?

What must've gone through Hardcase's head as they realized that the captain and commander, and pretty much everyone close to them, had been able see what there was between them.  
Kix had just been afraid, that what the others knew could be used against them. He just didn't want Hardcase to get hurt.  
But he hadn't been able to put it into words, quite frankly.

 _„Isn't it better, now that it is in the open?“_ Hardcase had asked, and Kix had rolled his eyes.  
_„Do you not want to understand it, or are you really too stupid to?“_  
Kix felt sick once he remembered how Hardcase's eyes had gone wide at that, and how his face had twisted in shock.

They didn't fight very often, but that time had blown up in their faces like a grenade.  
They hadn't talked much during their time on Umbara, once, because the battle was just blowing up in their faces, but also because their fight still hung between them like some kind of storm cloud that refused to dissipate.  
Kix himself couldnt really tell why neither of them had been able to see the others side, and later on put it down to combat stress. 

Once he found out what Jesse, Hardcase and Fives had done, and that Hardcase hadn't returned Kix felt as if something tore itself off from his very core.  
Then he got put onto that damn firing squad, and for a minute he seriously considered just blasting Jesse and Fives to hell.  
_Why didn't they tell me?_ That question repeated itself in Kix' head untill he felt utterly sick to his stomach. Only seconds before they got the order to fire did Kix change his mind.

_„Why didn't you tell me you were injured,“ Kix hissed, rummaging around his backpack for some bakta gauze.  
Apparently Hardcase had been hit by a stray shot, and had been walking around with that wound for the past day and a half without anybody knowing about it.  
„You are lucky it didn't got infected,“ Kix grumbled, once Hardcase had taken his leg bracers off and rolled up his pant leg, and he was able to inspect the injury.  
„See,“ Hardcase chuckled, though he still looked a tad too pale, „'s fine.“_

__

__

Kix growled and grabbed Hardcase by the back of his neck.  
„Is your brain leaking?“ he hissed, „this is no laughing matter. If you get shot you tell me. Are we clear?“  
He pushed the other troopers head down raughly, before he let go and started the process of cleaning the wound and bandaging it up.  
„I just didn't want you to get worried,“Hardcase mumbled, and as Kix looked back at him he realized his lover had his head bowed and was looking at his hands.

_Kix exhaled a deep breath through his nose, before he took a hold of Hardcase's hand with one hand, and used his other one to turn his head toward him.  
„I am worried all the time,“ he said calmly, „Trying to keep me from worrying is like trying to keep it from raining on Kamino. Okay?“  
„Okay,“ Hardcase had nodded, though he had still looked a bit crestfallen._

„Kix?“  
Kix had been so caught up in his thoughts that he flinched violently as he suddenly heard Jesse's voice. He and Fives were both standing in front of him, hands clasped in front of themselfes as if they were mere cadets that had done something wrong and were waiting for a scowling from their instructor, instead of two fully grown trooper.  
„We wanted to apologize,“ Jesse said, and Kix, for a second, had no idea what his friend was talking about.  
„We told Hardcase to not tell you anything about what we were about to do. We didn't want you to worry,“ Fives said and Kix nodded, although he didn't register himself doing so.

They talked some more but none of it wanted to register in Kix' brain.  
Jesse and Fives both fell silent as Kix lifted his hand, silently telling them to shut up.  
„Thanks for telling me, guys,“ he said, voice sounding monotone and without any emotion, „I just need some time alone right now.“

He didn't notice Jesse and Fives leaving, he had already retreated into his thoughts again.  
Some time later and Kix had finally build up the courage to dig the flimsy paper back out of his backpack.  
He knew Hardcase dated all of his sketches.  
_„If I draw one of you guys, might as well write down when I did it,“_ he had said as explanation once Tup asked him about it.  
So Kix was perfectly able to tell what and who Hardcase had drawn in the last days, before...

There was a sketch of the strange faune on Umbara. One of a scene of trooper just standing around, on which Kix couldn't recognize any of them, as Hardcase hadn't included any armor paintings, quite unlike what he usually did.  
Three days before, Hardcase drew Dogma, and a few tattoo sketches that were close in design to the tattoo Dogma had on his face.  
Two days before, he drew Tup talking to Jesse, the captain, and commander tano for some reason.

Kix took a deep, shaky breath once he closed in on the day before and the day of their suicide mission.  
Hardcase had first drawn some tattoo sketches, but then crossed many of them out. The last two pages were a sketch of himself and the very last one was one Hardcase must've drawn from memory, because it showed himself and Hardcase.  
He didn't even notice that he had started crying, until a tear dropped down onto the sketch.  
Quickly Kix rubbed his eyes dry and went back to staring dead ahead.

Just why hadn't he told Hardcase that their fight had been stupid? That both of them were essentially right, and that he never meant to insinuate that Hardcase was stupid.  
Why couldn't he have just gotten over his pride, once he realized how fucked up Umbara had gotten?  
Why hadn't he told Hardcase more often that he loved him?  
Now, all of it came way too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Essentially chapter 5 but from Kix' perspective.   
> Though, in this, there was more then just combat stress that kept Hardcase and Kix from hanging out on Umbara, but also a falling out they had before getting there.


	55. Things you said under your breath...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New entry into the soulbond-verse.

The moment that Hardcase died, Kix felt it.  
He felt agony, as their bond broke, as strand by strand Hardcase's presence tore apart from his own, as he slowly began to lose all feeling, as his heart and body both became numb in utter devastation at being torn apart. Being forced to be alone again, and not in a bond with another, not truly whole.  
Many people had died because of a broken bond.  
What little of Kix' brain was currently able to react to such a thing dimly hoped that he was one of them, before darkness finally took him under.

But it wasn't for long. He felt a presence inject itself into his very core, and it hurt, it was worse than what he had felt before.  
Whatever it was it wasn't welcome, and Kix tried to push it out, but it wouldn't leave.  
 _Tell me, Kix, tell me._ The voice reverberated in his brain, and the next thing he knew was a blinding hot pain taking over his senses, and his vision returning to him. 

For a second Kix thought this was what the afterlife looked like, but then his gaze fell upon Tup and something utterly vile settled into his stomach.  
„What did you do?“ Kix growled, his voice sounding rough and hoarse, as if he'd been screaming for hours on end; maybe he had.  
Tup looked utterly shocked, and stumbled backwards as Kix pushed himself up onto his forearms. When had he ended up on the floor?

„I-... I didn't want you to leave,“ Tup stammered, and for a moment Kix had no idea what Tup was talking about.   
_Nino._ The name flashed through his brain and Kix almost tobbled over again.  
 _That's not right, that's not right. That's not the name of my soulmate,_ Kix thought.  
 _I know, Sarsa,_ Tup's voice answered and Kix felt his blood run utterly cold. Tup stumbled back another step once Kix clamored back to his feet.   
His legs were week as a baby's, so Kix stumbled against a wall to hold himself up, but his voice had gotten back all it's strength.

"What did you do?" Kix demanded again, and Tup awkwardly stammered, "I-I didn't want you to leave."  
Kix' face was completely unreadable for a second before he suddenly fell to his knees, and started to wail. "No. No, no, no. No!" he howled, tears running down his face. "No. How could you. No!"

The captain came running, staring at the scene in utter horror, before shifting his gaze to Tup, silently ordering him to explain what had happened.  
"I didn't want him to leave," Tup said again, feeling numb now.  
Immediate understanding washed over Rex' face, and he knealed down beside Kix, trying to pull the medic into something like a comforting hug, but Kix wouldn't let him.  
"How could you?" Kix snarled, staring up at Tup with such an intensity that Tup thought he would die from that alone; without even having to feel Kix' fury over the newly formed soulbond.

"I didn't want you to leave," Tup said again. He sounded like a broken record saying the same thing over and over again.  
"It wasn't your place to decide!" Kix exploded like a bomb.  
Tup flinched and backed up even more. He hadn't seen Kix loose his cool very often, and from the times he had seen it, he could tell that this was utterly unlike Kix' usual breakdowns.

It was a known fact that someone could be saved from a broken bond, though it was a procedure most people refused to use.  
There was a reason why you usually died with your soulmate, the connection just ran way too deep.  
What Tup had done wasn't wrong per se, but not advisable either.

„I just didn't want him to leave,“ Tup had said, once Rex asked him to explain why he had formed a new soulbond with Kix.  
Apparently, Kix drooping essentially dead, the moment Hardcase had been killed in that gunship explosion, had send Tup into a panic, and in that panic he had forced Kix into a new bond with himself.

„You need to strengthen the bond, don't matter your feelings, or you'll both go insane,“ Resol had said, as Kix, two weeks later, still refused to even get close to Tup.  
Both of them had already started to notice the signs by then. Kix was extremely short tempered and Tup couldn't focus for the life of him.   
Begrudgingly Kix agreed to strengthen their bond, and they agreed to view it as platonic and nothing more.

Right before he shot jedi Tiplar, Tup actually thought that his strange thoughts might just be because of their platonic bond.  
Tup didn't make it through surgery, but before Kix could even feel the relief of being able to be with Hardcase again, Fives forced his way into his brain.  
At one point Kix couldn't help but laugh hysterically about the fact that he might as well know the soulnames of all torent trooper, before he could finally die.  
Because when Fives got shot, Jesse took his place and Kix was left alive.

„Why won't you just let me die?“ Kix groaned weakly, after Jesse had pushed his own soulname into his mind. _Koret._  
„I can't,“ Jesse said, and Kix could feel it in their bond, allbut it was still weak. Jesse's affection was far stronger than Fives' or Tup's, it actually felt quite alike what Hardcase had felt like.  
So it wasn't too hard for him to accept the bond with Jesse, but late at night Kix couldn't help but lay awake for hours on end, yearning to be reunited with Hardcase again. 

„Your body might be with me, but one thing's for sure, your mind isn't,“ Jesse said one night, after they had just finished fucking. He ran a hand down Kix' chest, looking down at him with knowing eyes, into Kix' vacant ones.  
„I'm sorry,“ Kix said, „but that's all I can give you.“  
He rolled out from under Jesse's arm and rummaged around the heap of both their off duty fatigues on the floor, before pulling on his own pair of pants. The look he threw over his shoulder at Jesse told him more then he needed to know.  
„Whatever you are looking for, you won't find it in me.“

Kix thought that might have been two weeks before the clankers got a hold of him, but he couldn't really tell; it had become hard telling the time.   
Getting frozen into carbonite was a relief if he was being honest, because his bond cooled down with it as well.  
He didn't even knew if he was fully awake but he could feel it when Jesse ceased to exist.  
And it was the best feeling he had had in a long time, as he saw the darkness approaching, and hear Hardcase's voice saying, _„What took you so long?“_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It all started with the thought, what if the death of your soulmate could kill you, but another person could save you by putting you into a new soulbond with them?  
> So I started with the scene with Tup, but as I was going to sleep that day my brain was like, „you do know he died too, right?“  
> And thus I thought about Kix' closest friends constantly keeping him from dying of a broken soulbond, until Jesse's death finally ends it all. Fuck all this 'frozen in carbonite time travel'-bantha crap.
> 
> Soulnames as mentioned:  
> Tup- Nino  
> Kix- Sarsa  
> Jesse- Koret


	56. Things you said in the spur of the moment...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't planned this way, but this is a follow up to chapter 19.

Hardcase usually wasn't having a look out for Kix specifically when they were out on a mission, Kix could handle himself.  
It just so happened that he noticed a heavy object careening towards Kix, when he was still in running distance. Usually he would also not intervene, because Kix usually had a rather good awareness of his surroundings, and needed no assistance.  
That wasn't the case however, as he was currently working on a trooper that'd been hit by a grenade.

If he was being honest Hardcase didn't even realize that he was running, until he had already crashed into Kix' side.  
He turned his head back in the direction of the projectile, just in time to realize that it was mere inches from his face. He heard a clang, saw a flash and immediately after lost all awareness.

Tup would've laughed at how Hardcase collapsed backwards, because, in other circumstances, it would've been the funniest thing he'd seen in a long time. But not now.  
Not with how Kix screamed something he couldn't understand, before dropping to his knees so fast that there was a audiable thudding noise.

Kix had utterly forgotten about his other patient in favor of carefully, but still quickly, removing Hardcase's bucket.  
Only then did Tup hear the strange noise Hardcase was making. It sounded like he was snoring, but coupled with the fact that his eyes had rolled up into his skull, and his whole body was seizing up, Tup highly doubted that that was what was going on.  
Kix hectically made a grab for Hardcase's face, and that was also unusuall.  
The way Tup had come to know Kix, he didn't really get hectical -that was more the way Baldria and Stult were- so whatever was wrong with Hardcase didn't allow for any dilly-dallying.

Kix' hands essentially flew toward Hardcase's mouth, and before Tup knew what was happening Kix had plunged his hand into Hardcase's mouth.  
The snoring got worse for a second, then there was choking before Hardcase's body thrashed profusely. But only seconds later Kix pulled his hand back, swearing loudly, and Hardcase wasn't choking anymore but instead coughing.

There was blood, and it was only once Kix put his hands onto Hardcase's face, framing it, while talking to him intently, that Tup realized that it was because Hardcase's jaw must've clamped shut and bitten clean through Kix' glove and into his hand.

“Hardcase. Hardcase, love, look at me,” Tup heard Kix say, and there was a immediate heavy feeling settling into his stomach.  
Hardcase caughed some more, his eyes tearing up, blinking them rapidly to be able to take Kix into focus.  
"Are you okay?" Hardcase asked, voice a gasping tumble.  
Kix' laugh sounded on the brink of hysteria, and, next to Hardcase, it sounded even more unhinged. "You swallow your tongue, and still ask me if I'm okay?" he huffed, and upon Hardcase's meek nodd Kix let loose of a full belly laugh.

Tup watched how Kix leaned foreward a bit more, giving Hardcase a soft hug.  
“You know that I do not need you being my knight in shining armor,” he said softly, and Hardcase nodded shakily.

That was the moment Hardcase's eyes managed to zero in on Tup, standing mere feet away from them, and with a posture as if he had just understood the whole sense of life.  
Tup saw how Hardcase shook Kix' shoulder lightly, mumbling something to the medic that he couldn't catch over the still ongoing blasterfire around them.  
Kix turned his head towards him, and Tup knew immediately that Kix knew.

He didn't look ashamed or in denial or anything.  
It was just that they had both agreed to keep this to themslefes. They were what they were, this was exactly what it was and it had become part of their lives, and according to Kix nobody needed to know.

„Tup, would you give me a hand here,“ Kix said, shaking Tup out of his own thoughts.  
Looking like a damn kicked puppy Tup slunk over to them, croaching down at Hardcase's other side.  
„Keep an eye on him for a second,“ Kix said, „call me if he gets sick or passes out again.“  
With that being said he walked back over to the trooper he'd been treating, before Hardcase decided to play 'knight in shining armor'.

„It is not a secret, you know,“ Hardcase said, having Tup flinch, as he was, again, dweeling in his own thoughts.  
And now that Hardcase said it out loud, Tup couldn't help but remember how he'd been thinking that there was something between their medic and resident jester, but dismissing it.  
Their hugs and the constant touching was normal after all. The looks passed between them didn't mean anything more. Kix calling Hardcase 'sweety', and Hardcase jokingly refering to Kix as 'love' was just them being playfull.  
All of a sudden Tup felt really stupid.

„Kix just prefers to not shout it from the rooftops.“  
„So, that song Jesse was singing a few days ago?...“ Tup trailed off.  
Hardcase looked confused for a second, before laughing, but immediately choking it off again, as he winced and pulled a face, hand flying to his head.  
„Frek, I think I'm gonna be sick,“ he groaned. He only managed to explain to Tup that Jesse's little song was something you usually said when you thought two people were in a relationship, or definately should be, before he proceeded to throw up everything he'd eaten in the last couple of hours; which was thankfully not that much.

Tup was too caught up in clapping a hand on Hardcase's shoulder, and making sure that he didn't choke on his own vomit, that he didn't even notice Kix joining them again.  
„Surely got yourself a concussion there,“ he said matter-of-factly, before starting to rummage around his backpack.  
A quick look over his shoulder showed Tup that Resol was taking care of the trooper that had had a not so nice encounter with a grenade.

„Why're you always this unsympathetic,“ Hardcase groaned, now holding his stomach, while leaning his head back against the tree in his back.  
„Because you're a laserbrain,“ Kix said flatly, but the look on his face was anything but unsympathetic.  
He injected Hardcase what Tup assumed were painkillers, before lifting his hands back to Hardcase's head. „I still have to check if you didn't break anything,“ Kix said patiently, „I know it sucks.“

Tup watched him press down on Hardcase's head from both sides, saw Hardcase scrunch up his face before turning away from them and retch again; but this time he had nothing left to throw up.  
„Doesn't seem like anything is broken,“ Kix said, having layed a hand onto the back of Hardcase's neck, as it was the only part of his body he could reach without having to remove armor, rubbing comforting circles there.

„I won't safe you next time, if this is how you thank me,“ Hardcase said, after he finally stopped dry heaving.  
„No you won't,“ Kix chuckled, gently urging Hardcase to lean back against the tree again.  
He turned to his backpack again, loading his injector with another phial. „This should get rid of the nausea.“  
Hardcase closed his eyes while Kix administered the drugs, and sighed a breath of relieve once they seemed to start working. 

„Just don't blab it around,“ Kix suddenly said, and took a moment for Tup to realize that he was talking to him.  
„Or maybe he should,“ Hardcase said, grinning lopsided again, which was a good sign, „Then you could finally stop being so territorial.“  
And as Kix lightly punched Hardcase's shoulder, both of them laughing, Tup realized that everything was fine again.  
Well, appart from the fact that he now had to keep his mouth shut about those two's relationship.


	57. Things you said when no one else was around...

Fives should have known the minute that he stepped foot into his apartment that something wasn't right.   
Usually Kix only played her music on full blast when she was pissed.  
Other then that, she stuck to listening to it with her headphones on because his neighbor had complained to his landlord about this 'satan music' on multible occasion.

“And where were you?” Kix asked, turning the music off and jarring Fives' perception of the whole atmosphere.  
That should've been his second clue, because Kix usually didn't ask where he went, when he headed out alone, saying that she trusted him. But not this night apparently.

She hadn't even changed out of her scrubs, and Fives was pretty sure that was blood on her shoulder. She sat on the armchair, arms crossed over her chest and with a deep groof in between her eyebrows.  
“I went out with the guys, for drinks,” Fives said, shrugging.  
Kix raised a brow. “Really,” she hummed, before getting up.

Fives gulped as Kix came to stand in front of him, and grabbed something off the kitchen table.  
He felt the breath being stuck in his throat as Kix lifted one of his dress shirts up so that he could look at it.  
“Because that lipstick on your collar, well, it ain't my shade of pink.”  
And there she was right, it wasn't it Kix' shade of pink, Kix didn't wear pink lipstick at all but much rather prefered dark, bold colors.

“And,” she held the shirt up to her nose, “I can tell by the smell of that perfume, it's about 40 $ too cheap.”  
“Kix,” Fives started, but Kix held up her hand, effectively shutting him up.  
She raised her hand, pulling at the collar of the dress shirt Fives was wearing right now, her eyes zeroing in on something on the pocket of the shirt.  
“And won't you look at that?” Kix chuckled, her voice holding no joy or mirth at all.  
She tipped her finger on the red stain on the pocket of his shirt.

“Well, you drink beer and wiskey. And you know damn well I don't drink red.”  
Fives found himself frozen in place as Kix dumped the shirt back onto the table, and instead grabbed the backpack she used for her change of clothes in the hospital, off the chair next to it.  
“Look, I-” Fives started, trying to grab a hold of his girlfriends shoulder but Kix shrugged out of his grip.  
“No. You, look,” she hissed, standing there with all the posture and energy of a boxer getting ready for a punch, “You knew I had my concerns about you and your ex, but I agreed to drop it because you assured me there wasn't anything left.”

“Kix, it's not what you think-”  
“Save it,” Kix said, “It's over. And I'm moving back in with Hardcase, so that you and your ex can have your alone time.”  
She spun on her heels and strode past him out the door, banging it shut behind herself.  
Not giving a single fuck about Fives' next door neightbor, who could be heard complaining the moment the door banged shut behind her.

Which 'moving back in with Hardcase' was way easier then Kix had thought it to be.  
“Haven't you found a new roommate yet?” Kix asked, as Hardcase showed her to her old room, which, strangely, looked just the way Kix had left it.  
“I wasn't really hurried on finding a new one,” Hardcase said, sitting down on one of the bar stools at her kitchen counter.   
“Waxer asked if he couldn't move in,” she mused after a moment, “but I was like 'No buddy, I know how messy you are at work'. I mean, I ain't the kind of girl that needs everything spotless-” Kix nodded, chuckling. No, Hardcase didn't need for her place to be spotless, Hardcase was a god dman tornado. She constantly left her stuff where she dropped it, had a habit of somehow loosing DVD's and don't even get her started on the laundry. “-but if I get Waxer in here we'll be drowning in the mess in no time.”

“Plus,” Hardcase said after a moment, cupping her chin in her hand, “I'm really not keen on rooming with someone from work. Nothing against the guys, but I wanna think about something else but fire fighting in my downtime.”  
Kix nodded in agreement. Early on in her residency she had thought about rooming with her younger brother, Resol, but quickly shot that idea down again. Not only becuase they were five years appart in age and their studies, but also because Kix couldn't stand her brothers boyfriend.

“Just, thanks that you let me move in again,” Kix said honestly, and Hardcase did a theatrical bow while sitting down.  
She used to play theater when she was still at school, Kix had seen all the tapes of their shows; Hardcase had been so proud of them.

“I also need to apologize,” Kix said, which had Hardcase frown in confusion and cock her head to the side, “I shouldn't have been so mad at you when you were just looking out for me. I mean, you were right about Fives.”  
Because two days ago Hardcase had pulled her aside as they were out for drinks with their friends, to tell her that she suspected Fives was still seeing his ex.  
Kix hadn't taken kindly to what Hardcase had said. She later on had blamed it on the alcohol, but the truth was that she had wanted this thing with Fives to work out so badly, after her last relationship had ended this abruptly.

Yeah, she might have accused Hardcase of being jealous, because half a year prior they had still been a couple. But then the hospital had decided to fuck everything up.  
Long story short, Kix didn't think she could manage her relationship with Hardcase, next to the hospital, she needed to prioritize the hospital for the time being. Four months later she got together with Fives, after getting through the worst in the hospital and working out some new study techniques.  
It also helped a lot that Fives liked to take charge, and relieved Kix from all the stress that way, something Hardcase hadn't been able to, as she forced Kix to still take charge in her down time, effectively leaving her without a rebreather.

But it turned out that Hardcase had been right after all.   
Kix wasn't usually the jealous kind, but with the way Fives still hovered around his ex, heeling like some kind of dog when she called for him, she couldn't help herself.  
The dress shirt she had found a few hours ago had been the straw that broke the camel's back.  
Kix had immediately called Hardcase after finding the shirt, who was more then enthusiastic to welcome her back to her apartment. 

Hardcase nodded to herself, smiling like she knew something Kix didn't knew.  
“You didn't sleep with him in the last couple of days, did you?” she asked and Kix shook her head.  
“No,” she admitted, “I was way too paranoid that he would lull me into a false sense of security.”  
Which was true, but what did Hardcase care about that.  
Kix frowned. “But what does that matter?” she asked.

Hardcase shrugged, and got off the bar stool before looking her dead in the eyes and saying, “Because I was jealous!”  
And before Kix could even process what Hardcase had just said, Hardcase had already leaned foreward and pressed their lips together.   
It was like being finally able to breath again, after being under water for a bit too long, and it felt familiar in a good kind of way.  
Their bodies fitted together perfectly, and Kix didn't think twice when she felt Hardcase push her back and right into her bedroom.

They went down on Hardcase's bed in a tangle of limbs, and for a second there Kix didn't even think anymore.  
That was until she felt Hardcase's hand snake it's way unter her scrubs and onto her belly.  
She managed to break the kiss, just staring up at Hardcase for a second there.   
And Hardcase smiled down at her with such a fire in her eyes that Kix felt a small stab in her stomach.

“Hey,” Hardcase hummed, leaning down and rubbing their noses together, “what are you thinking about, big thinker.”  
“This,” Kix said, stroking a hand down Hardcase's cheek, who seemed to get her meaning right away. “Why did I think Fives would be better for me than you?”  
Hardcase shrugged, but then grinned. “He looks good, I'll give him that.”

Kix couldn't help but laugh, and pull a eqaully laughing Hardcase back into a kiss, before rolling them around and flipping their positions.   
Admitting that Fives was hot was as close to heterosexual that Hardcase was ever gonna get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Kix and Hardcase are both female in this one. Tup, Echo and Jesse are as well, but it is up to you to decide which one of them is Fives' ex.
> 
> The chapter was inspired by Carrie Underwood's song 'dirty laundry', and the episode 'my drug buddy' from season one of Scrubs.


	58. Things you were afraid to say...

A week ago Kix had said something to him in zabrak, which Hardcase wasn't able to understand.   
He knew some zabrak, but he was by far not fluent the way Kix was, who had apparently learned zabrak from his instructor before he even learned mando'a or basic.  
“Noth wouldn't even talk basic to the long necks,” Kix had told him once. He seemed to have a way better relationship to his instructor than most of them did. 

"Yol meni sino sharee culo,“ Kix had said, after they had been trapped under an overturned AAT.  
“I know, I know,” Hardcase sighed, holding his arm, which was bleeding profusely.  
“You speak zabrak?” Hardcase asked astonished.   
“No,“ Hardcase chuckled, „I just know the phrase 'this is all your fault' in every language by now.”

After they had been rescued from under that damn tank Kix said it.  
He had patched up his arm, and afterwards cupped his face, looked him deep in the eyes and said,„I'shuree pelir'e sharee, even though you are a di'kut.”  
“What?” Hardcase had chuckled.  
“Nothing, nothing,” Kix had dismissed it quickly, looking kind of stunned at what he had said himself.  
That's why it hadn't seemed like nothing to Hardcase. And also because Kix usually translated whatever he said in zabrak that Hardcase couldn't understand. A luxury he didn't grant many.   
Kix was known to just fly into a rant in zabrak and leave everyone around him not understanding a single word, as zabrak wasn't at all wide spread within their vode.

But that wasn't the only time Kix had said the phrase.   
He said it a day after the whole AAT debacle, after Hardcase had gotten him some caf.  
He had said it the day after before bed time, had said it after Hardcase painted a funny sketch onto the backside of Jesse's helmet, whispered it in his ear during a meeting, and most importantly yesterday as they'd just been lounging around on Hardcase's bunk.  
The way Kix had looked up at him as he said, „I'shuree pelir'e sharee,” had made it clear to Hardcase that whatever it meant it was something meaningful.

But recking his brain would lead him nowhere, so Hardcase decided to ask the one person that was just as fluent in zabrak as Kix, since they had had the same instructor.  
“What do you want to know?” Resol asked as he regarded him curiously.  
Hardcase opened his mouth and then closed it again as a thought crossed his mind; did he want Resol to know whatever Kix had said to him.  
“I have recently overheard a zabrak word, or phrase I suppose. Ishure pelire share.”  
Resol started to laugh; Hardcase was pretty sure he was butchering the language, and Resol told him as much.  
“Your pronunciation is rather boorish. But I think you mean, I'shuree pelir'e sharee.”

Hardcase perked up as Resol repeated the exact same words Kix had said to him earlier.  
“It means, I love you.”  
Hardcase froze on the spot, not sure whether he was breathing or not.   
And of course Kix chose that very moment to walk out of the small office the medic's used for scheduling, inventory and such.  
Resol's eyes widened while they flicked between them both, quickly drawing the right conclusion.

“Kix,” He said slowly, pointing at his batchmate, but before he could ask if Kix had said this zabrak phrase to him Kix himself was coming to stand next to him.   
“Please, don't tell me you've hurt yourself again,” he huffed, looking at Hardcase with a sternness one would only expect from a mother telling off her child.  
“Erm, No,” Hardcase said, thankfully managing not to turn red, “I just noticed that Rex is wincing a lot when he's eating, and since we all know how much he hates dentals...” he trailed off as he saw Kix roll his eyes.  
“Alright, that's it,” he snapped, before he turned around to grab a injector from a nearby stretcher, “you're the third person that's told me that today. Zulu,” he called over his shoulder, and the only mustache wielding medic of torent poked his head out from around one of the curtains seperating patients, “captain needs a dental.”

And Hardcase couldn't help but feel a little bad for Rex. He hadn't even seen him today, it was all just a lucky guess apparently, as Fives and Jesse seemed to have noticed what Hardcase had been describing too.   
They all knew that Rex had a hard time with dental check ups. No, that was the understatement of the century, he was kriffing terrified.  
So much so, in fact, that Kix now saw no other option but to ambush and sedate him, so that he and Zulu would be able to check out what was giving Rex all that trouble with eating. 

“Kix,” a voice called, after they'd just finished checking the rec room. Hardcase turned his head and saw Ahsoka walking up to them. “I don't know if you've noticed,” she said, “but Rex seems to have trouble eating.”  
“We're already on it,” Kix said, nodding at Zulu and Hardcase he had in toe, “you know where he is?”  
“Still in the mess hall,” Ahsoka nodded, “can I help with anything.”  
The smile that crept onto Kix' face wasn't boding Rex at all. “Can you distract him for a second there.”

“It is nothing,” Rex groaned while chewing entirely on his left side.   
“But it is swollen,” Tup pointed at the right side of his face, and Rex batted his hand away.  
“I know,” he mumbled, not only because his mouth was full but also because the right side of his jaw hurt something fierce. But he sure as hell wouldn't be going to the medbay for this.  
Oh no, he won't have anybody poking around in his mouth, much less Zulu or Kix.

“Hey Rex, can I talk to you for a second?”   
Rex looked up and didn't knew what he should feel as he saw Ahsoka standing behind Tup.  
She could get him away from Tup on one hand, but he could already tell that she was staring at his right cheek.  
“Sure,” he still said, getting up and following her towards the exit of the mess hall.

But before he could even ask what she wanted he felt someone's arm come out from behind him, laying itself around his neck.  
“What the-” he just managed to get out before he felt a needle prick his neck.  
“I'm sorry,” Ahsoka said sheepishly, “but it's only for the best.”  
His body started to feel heavy and his vision was swimming, but he still managed to make out faces as he was lowered to the ground.   
Zulu and Kix, fantastic. Rex tried raising up his arms to get the medics to back off, but his body wouldn't really respond anymore.  
“It's gonna be allright,” Kix said, his voice sounded strangely far away and muffled, while he pushed his arms back down, “we're just gonna take a look, you won't feel any of it.”  
Rex only managed to snort at that before darkness took him under.

Turned out that Rex had cracked one of his back molars, which Kix needed to pull.  
Rex wasn't all too happy about that once he woke up again, and started cursing them out. Which granted, since he still needed to bite down on gauze, sounded extremely funny.  
Ahsoka had also been ademant about coming with them, to make sure that Rex wouldn't do anything else stupid that day.

“Would you shut it now,” Kix cursed, after having to listen to Rex' jumbled cursing for fifteen minutes, “I would expect this degree of foolery from Hardcase, but you!”  
That made Rex shut up instantly.  
“I'shuree adhu pelir'e sharee,” Kix said quietly, turned at Hardcase, who noticed how Ahsoka looked at Kix with astonishment. Of course she knew zabrak.

“I'shuree pelir'e sharee,” Hardcase said and Kix froze up instantly.  
He turned to look at him again slowly, mouth slightly agape.  
“I, erm, asked Resol what you were saying,” Hardcase mumbled, shifting his feet.  
Rex looked in between the three of them, of course not knowing what had just transpired.   
He mumbled something that sounded like a, “what's going on?” before there was a yell from someone at the other end of the infirmary.  
“For force's sake, finally get a room you two!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'shuree pelir'e sharee - I love you, zabrak.  
> I'shuree adhu pelir'e sharee - I still love you, zabrak.  
> di'kut - idiot, mando'a.
> 
> That chapter took a slight turn, I will admit that; but I needed it.   
> Some time ago, on my phone, laying on my couch, I read a fic on tumblr in which Rex had a severe case of dentophobia, and Kix essentially resorted to conspiring with the other torent trooper to ambush and sedate Rex, so that he could check on his teeth in peace.


	59. Things you said after we fell in love...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been watching way too much 'friends' the last couple of days.

Kix swore she hadn't wanted for anybody to find out. Not with Rex and Ahsoka getting married, and Rex being on everybodys case to “for the love of god, don't steal Ahsoka's thunder!”  
It wasn't her damn fault that Tup found her positive pregnancy test in the trash and thought it was Ahsoka's. Sure, she hadn't disagreed with Tup, but how should she have known that Tup would be running straight to the bride after the ceremony, to congratulate her.

“What are you talking about, I am not pregnant,” Ahsoka hissed once Tup had released her from her bone crushing hug, smoothing down the front of her wedding dress.  
“Tup, she's not the one that's pregnant,” Kix agreed, “I am.”

For a second there Ahsoka just stared at her, and Kix was pretty sure she'd be relinquishing her of her maid of honor duties, or worse relinquish her from her life.  
But instead Ahsoka's face broke into a big smile, “Oh Kix, that's so great,” she exclaimed as she flung her arms around Kix' neck.  
“Who is the father?” she asked, once she released Kix again, “It's Hardcase isn't it?”  
“Of course it's Hardcase,” Kix cursed, “we're dating. Or do you think I'm cheating on him.”  
Ahsoka and Tup both stuttered for a moment, before turning to shaking their heads vigorously and assuring her that that was totally not what they were thinking.

Kix groand and rolled her eyes, while pinching the bridge of her nose.  
“Anyways, I actually wanted to retake the test,” she admitted, and Tup looked utterly crestfallen at that.  
“Why?” she asked, “you don't wanna have Hardcase's baby? Why wouldn't you? I mean, he is so-”  
“Tup. Tup,” Kix snapped, grabbing onto the others shoulders as Tup's voice kept rising in volume, “would you keep it down, I haven't told Hardcase yet.”  
“But why?” Tup asked, still frowning very much distrustfull at her.  
“Because those tests can be wrong on the first try,” Kix explained, “it's rare, but... I just wanna be sure before I tell him, okay.”

Tup nodded, seeming finally satisfied that Kix would want to have Hardcase's baby, while Ahsoka looked even more excited now.  
“You should take the test now,” she said, grabbing Kix' hands with way too much force.  
“What, ouch, but- this is your wedding,” Kix objected, wringing her hands out of Ahsoka's death grip.  
“But now I wanna know if you are pregnant,” Ahsoka almost whined, grabbing onto Kix' hands again, “Come on. It could be my wedding gift.”

That made Kix perk up with interest, she hadn't found a wedding present for the two of them as of now. On the day of the wedding...  
“Ah, why not,” she snorted.  
Ahsoka looked pleased with herself, and Tup grabbed her purse. “I'll get you one,” she said determined, “There is a drugstore down the street.”  
“Thanks,” Kix said, but remembering something she grabbed Tup's wrist and Ahsoka's shoulder, “One of you tells anybody else and I'm gonna ruin this whole day. Got it.”  
Both of them nodded and went off.

Half an hour later Tup and Kix were sitting around the very spacious bathroom, waiting for the time to pass so that they would know if Kix was in fact pregnant or not.  
The door opened, Kix took a step foreward as she had had to throw out a few women already, who had wanted to use the bathroom, but it was just Ahsoka.  
“And,” she asked, excited, “are you pregnant?”  
“The time isn't over yet,” Kix said, and Ahsoka groaned in annoyance.  
“How much?” she asked, and, “Thirty seconds,” Tup replied.

The thirty seconds passed egonizingly slow, but once the timer rang on Tup's phone all three of them leaned over the pregnancy test.  
“There are two lines,” Ahsoka said expertly, pointing at the violet plastic stick.  
“What does that mean?” Tup asked, turning the box of the test.  
“Means I am pregnant,” Kix said slowly, who held the package insert, and looked at both of them with an owlish expression, before she looked shocked at the two screaming women who were hugging her.

“Wait, you are pregnant?” a voice asked and all three of them froze instantly.  
They turned and found Cutup standing in the door to the women's bathroom.  
“What are you doing in the women's bathroom?” was the first thing Tup could think of to ask.  
It seemed to work, Cutup turned red, spun on his heels and banged the door shut behind himself. But their reliefe was only short lived as he walked right back into the bathroom.

“Wait a second, you didn't say 'no',” he said, pointing at Ahsoka, “You are pregnant?”  
“No,” Ahsoka cursed, “Why does everybody keep asking that? Do I look fat in my dress?!”  
Cutup hurried to deny that, and Tup and Kix also assured the bride that she looked stunning.  
“Cutup, did you find Ahsoka yet,” Rex asked and also entered the bathroom, to the ever mounting despair of Kix. “What are you doing in here?”  
“One of them is pregnant,” Cutup explained, pointing at the pregnancy test on the counter, “Well, not Ahsoka, she is ademant that she isn't. Which leaves Tup or Kix.”

Rex looked about ready to drop unconscious once Cutup said the word 'pregnant', and finally started to breath again as he said that Ahsoka wasn't the one with child.  
“So?” he asked, interest now also sparked, “Who's pregnant?”  
Tup and Kix exchanged a glance, then sighed and both said, “I am.”  
“What?” the remaining three said, and Tup grinned cheepishly.  
“Thought you'd be wanting to keep it from those two,” she said.  
“No, it's fine,” Kix shrugged, “Rex won't blab it around because he's afraid of me,” to which Rex nodded vigorously, “and Cutup will keep his mouth shut or else...” she left the rest of the threat unsaid, but Cutup got her meaning and mimed locking his mouth and throwing the key away.

“So?” Rex asked interested, “Who's the father?”  
“Hardcase,” Kix cursed, feeling heat rising up in her chest, “seriously why do you keep asking that? I am not cheating on Hardcase!”  
And Rex and Cutup were left assuring her that they weren't thinking this at all.

So far so good, four people knew about her being pregnant, and out of those Kix trusted three of them to keep their mouth shut. She kept a close eye on Cutup to ensure that he wouldn't be running his mouth, but in the end she should've watched Ahsoka instead, who had gotten herself so plastered that she was spilling everybody's secrets left and right.

“And they think they are being so slick,” she giggled, telling an attentive crowd of Nub and Droidbait that she knew perfectly well that Jesse and Fives were banging, “I mean, those walls aren't that thick to begin with, but Rex used to live right across the hall from them, so-”  
“Alright,” Cutup grinned, grabbing the brides shoulders, “that seems to be enough of gossip for those two, don't you think?”  
Nub and Droidbait grumbled their displeasure, but did leave to join Denal and Boil at the bar.

Just as Cutup tried to get Ahsoka away from Padme, to stop her from telling her something surely embarassing about Anakin and Obi-Wan and the bachelor party, they walked into Kix and Hardcase.  
“Have you seen Rex?” Cutup asked, as Ahsoka was starting to lean quite heavily onto him and looked about ready to pass out.  
“He's over there, talking to Cody,” Hardcase said, pointing over his shoulder in the direction where Cutup could see the two talking to each other. He left Ahsoka with the other two, and walked off to get her husband.

“So, what've you been up to?” Ahsoka asked, voice not just a little bit slurred.  
“Oh, just dancing,” Hardcase grinned, “talking about what a lovely wedding it was.”  
“Oh,” Ahsoka gasped, “you are so sweet,” and before he knew what hit him Ahsoka had flung her arms around Hardcase's neck.  
“You are gonna be such a good father.”

Hardcase looked a bit stunned, and at what Ahsoka said even more confused, but then settled on chalking it up to her being drunk as fuck, and awkwardy patted her back instead.  
“Thanks, but that's not gonna happen for quite some time, right Kix?” he turned to his girlfriend, who grinned as well, before throwing Ahsoka a loaded look that Hardcase didn't catch.  
“Yeah Ahsoka,” Kix said, “not for quite some time, sweety.”

“But,” now Ahsoka looked confused, scrunching up her face; and where the fuck was Rex when you needed him? “But didn't you tell me that you were pregnant with Hardcase's child? You took a second test that was positive. I saw it,” Ahsoka rambled, “and you said something else too.”  
“She said that she hadn't told Hardcase yet, and that she would ruin this whole day if we would blab it around,” Cutup's voice said, who had finally turned up at their sides, with Rex and Cody in toe.  
“That's exactly right,” Ahsoka grinned, before her drunk brain seemed to finally catch up with what Cutup had said and her face fell.

“Oh my god, Kix I am so sorry,” she said, sobering up a good bit.  
“It's okay,” Kix huffed, rubbing a hand down her face, “just, excuse us for a second.”  
And the four of them nodded, Cutup looking kind of smug that he hadn't been the one to blab out Kix' secret.

“So,” Hardcase said after Kix pulled him out of the ballroom, and out into the hall, “I guess that wasn't a misunderstanding or anything?”  
“No,” Kix said, shaking her head, “I am pregnant.”  
Hardcase nodded, looking kind of too serious for Kix' liking. But she also didn't feel like breaking the silence that had fallen between them.  
“Why didn't you tell me?” Hardcase finally asked, after quite some time.  
“I was going to,” Kix insisted, grabbing a hold of Hardcase's hands, “I just wanted to make sure that I really was pregnant before telling you. And then Tup found the test and thought Ahsoka was pregnant, and Cutup and Rex walked in as I was retaking the test. I was going to tell you.”

“Just not today,” Hardcase said slowly, and Kix nodded.  
“With all of Rex' talk about 'not stealing Ahsoka's thunder', I wanted to wait until tomorrow.”  
“Well,” Hardcase said, a smile starting to tug at his lips as he pointed at the clock on the desk across the hall from them, “it is tomorrow. Sooo, no harm done,” he shrugged.  
Kix couldn't help herself, she had to smile as well. “So, you aren't mad?”  
“Mad? Why would I be mad!?” Hardcase laughed, before pulling her into a tight hug, “we are going to have a baby. That's the best news I was ever gonna get!”  
“Hey, stop stealing my thunder!” Ahsoka cursed, who was being led away by Rex and Cody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka isn't a bridezilla, Rex just watched a bit too much 'friends' before the wedding, and therefore told everybody to not steal Ahsoka's thunder.  
> What happened between Anakin and Obi-Wan on the bachelor party will stay on the bachelor party.
> 
> Females in that story are Kix, Tup, Jesse and Echo.  
> And now I did it, I wrote a chapter each with Hardcase and Kix as female, and one with both of them as females.


	60. Things you said out of the blue...

So, apparently Hardcase had been stood up by this dude he was seeing.  
Hardcase had been sitting at this restaurant for nearly an hour now and his date still hadn't shown up.  
„You know what you wanna order now?“ the waitress asked for the umptenth time that night.  
„Give me one more moment, I haven't got it yet,“ Hardcase pleaded and she thankfully left him be.  
If his date would still show up, he'd leave the waitress a big tip.  
But ten minutes later and he still hadn't showen up.

Just as Hardcase saw the waitress making her way over to him and he started panicing a stranger sat down in front of him.  
„Sorry I'm late, babe, traffic is crazy right now,“ he explained loudly.  
The waitress swerved left and left them alone, while Hardcase just stared at the dude that had sat down in front of him. He had never seen him before.  
Strange lightning patterns were cut into his buzz short hair and he looked stupidly attractive.  
„I'm Kix,“ the guy said quietly, „Just go with it, yeah? And seriously, whoever didn't bother to show up is an asshole!“

„I-I'm Hardcase,“ Hardcase stammered, shaking the hand of the other men, „'m not sure why he didn't show up... Or maybe... Ah, I don't know...“ He rubbed his forehead tiredly and then flinched as Kix touched his hand.  
„He seems like quite the dick,“ he said, smiling.  
Hardcase nodded, as Kix pointed at the menue. „So, anything good on there?“  
Five minutes later and they could finally order, the waitress looked pretty relieved.  
Hardcase noticed how she quickly eyed Kix up and down with an appreciative glance before leaving for the kitchen. 

„So, why are you saving my ass?“ Hardcase asked, sipping his drink.  
Kix shrugged. „I've been watching you from the bar for the last half an hour. You looked so crushed, I kinda took pitty.“  
Hardcase nodded, and raised his glass. „To you, my knight in shining armor.“  
Kix raisyed his glass as well. „To your shitty fucking date.“  
They clinked glasses and spend the rest of the evening talking and joking. 

Shortly before they called for the bill Hardcase's phone buzzed.  
Kix frowned as Hardcase's expression fell as he read at the text.  
„What'd he write?“ he asked.  
Hardcase didn't answer, just help out his phone so he could read the text.  
_„Sorry, I didn't show up,“_ it read. _„I've been thinking, and I don't think this thing between us is working out.“_  
Kix whistled, telling the waitres to get them the bill, before saying, „He not only seems like a dick, he is a dick!“  
He reached over the table to hold Hardcase's hand as he noticed the other's crushed demeanor.  
„Hey. Don't get sad because of him. He doesn't deserve you anyways. Seriously, had I known it would end like that I would've doubled my flirting.“

Hardcase raised his head, staring at him shocked. „Flirting,“ he squeaked.  
Kix nodded, grinning broadly. „Hells yea. You're quite the catch, may I ask you out. Like for real.“  
Hardcase nodded dumbfounded and let Kix write down his number in his phone.  
Seemed there was something good about having a dick for a date afterall.


End file.
